Death Is Peace
by bbraeislove
Summary: Death is coming to Jump City with its eyes set on the Teen Titans. Character death. Pairings? RobxStar though not much.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Death has arrived in Jump City with its eyes set on the Teen Titans. Loads of character death, some very gruesome details. Pairings? RobxStar (this isn't a romance). No flames, but constructive criticism is welcome.

Diclaimer: I don't own Teen Titans

Anywaym enjoy!

* * *

**Death Is Peace**

**1**

Beast Boy was walking down the hall, snapping his fingers to the song that was currently blaring into his ear canal. He felt like a very happy Titan that morning. There were no crime sprees, Cyborg had gone into Steel City so the green vegan was allowed to create his tofu masterpieces in peace, and Raven hadn't thrown him out of a window for the morning. Yes, Beast Boy was having a _very_ good day so far.

The changeling entered the common room, singing loudly to the tune that emanated from his ear-buds. Oddly, nobody had complained about his voice bouncing off of the walls and no one had thrown anything at him, so he continued. Once he'd reached the kitchen, the song was over. He quickly pressed the pause button on his mp3 player before reaching into the fridge for another block of his favourite dish. After he was finished preparing his food, Beast Boy walked over to the table and sat down, starting to eat.

Raven also seemed to be having a good morning, because she'd said hello to her green teammate once she'd passed the sliding doors. Beast Boy jumped out of shock of hearing the greeting and voice at the same time. He took an ear-bud out of his ear.

"W-What?" he tilted his head to the left with wide eyes. His jaw went slack, showcasing a mashed segment of tofu in his mouth. Raven blinked.

"I said 'hello'," she stated, the neutral expression never leaving her face. Before he could reply, she turned away and walked over to her favourite window, sitting down and starting her meditation.

"H-Hello," Beast Boy whispered to himself while staring at the half-demon's back. He smiled before going back to eating his tofu.

Robin and Starfire walked in next, hand in hand. Robin was explaining yet another Earth tradition to his alien girlfriend, who gasped in wonder. After the events in Tokyo, the two Titans had become inseparable, which was fine with everyone else, who long before wished that the two would unite.

"That is most fascinating, Boyfriend Robin!" Starfire exclaimed in glee, smiling at the masked hero. He shrugged.

"Well, that's how it is," he grinned at her. Starfire turned and smiled wider at her friends.

"Hello, friends Beast Boy and Raven!" she greeted, clasping her hands together. Beast Boy mumbled a muted "hello" while chewing and Raven muttered some sort of greeting. Starfire whipped her head around in search of something.

"Where is friend Cyborg? I have not seen him yet on this glorious day," the alien asked with wide eyes.

"Steel City," Robin told her. Beast Boy laughed between bites and joked about something unintelligibly.

"You know you sound even stupider when you talk with your mouth full," Raven scolded. "Not to mention you're ruining my concentration." The changeling swallowed, frowning. _Feel Good Moment_ _must be over_, he thought.

"Whatever," he muttered, going back to his food. Robin looked from his green teammate to his indigo one and frowned in confusion, but shrugged it off as nothing and went to sit on the couch. Starfire followed suite, smiling and cuddling close to her love.

* * *

In Jump City, a very big looking half-metal man carried a shopping cart full of spare parts back to his car. He looked around at the mini-mecha part of town, smiling to himself. Cyborg felt happy knowing that he could finally upgrade that module in his beloved car. He walked over to the trunk, opening the hood and dumping his parts into the compartment. After he was finished loading his car, the tin man whistled happily as he slipping into the driver seat of the T-car, starting the vehicle and darting off.

While he drove, he took in the city, admiring the view. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in sight. The water glistened in the light of the sun in a way that was nearly enough to blind. The various buildings that lined the shore caught the reflection of the bright daylight, all windows shining. Yes, Cyborg loved this time of day.

Little did the mechanical Titans know, figures that crept along the shadows behind the buildings eyed him carefully, contemplating. Each pair of sinister eyes followed the T-car in their line of sight, holding their gaze until it passed them. A figure in the middle laughed quietly in the midst of their surveillance.

"What is it?" the figure next to it asked. The middle figure's eyes glanced over to its partner and smirked.

"Look at him," it whispered. "He looks so happy. So at peace. Little does he know that the only peace that one can acquire in life is death. But don't worry. He'll soon find out. They all will," it laughed as it started to move, following the car without losing its stare.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Uploaded another chapter today. Still no character death, sadly. But there will be in the next chapter, I promise...Anyway, here's chapter two.

* * *

**Death Is Peace Chapter Two**

**2**

"Hey y'all!" Cyborg greeted happily, finally showing his oil-smeared face after a long day in the garage. He wiped his hands off in a dirty cloth as he walked over to the couch, falling back and into the seat. He put his metallic feet on the little table in front of him and sighed.

"Well, look who finally showed up," Robin said with a smirk, eyes moving back to the widescreen television in front. His show had just finished and he was now shifting through channels, yawning every so often when a particularly boring show displayed on the screen.

"Well, I didn't expect you to know this, but _some_ people have hobbies," the metal man taunted. Robin snorted.

"More like 'obsessions'," he shot back, reclining even further in his seat.

"You're one to talk!" Cyborg retorted, causing the masked leader to smirk again.

"Please friends, do not do the arguing. I have just found a show on the television that has proved to be most exciting," Starfire took the remote from Robin and was now flipping back to a channel that the Boy Wonder had ignored. It turned out to be a cooking show which featured uncommon ingredients, which the alien girl immediately started to jot down on a little notepad from her pocket. Robin widened his eyes at the things that Starfire was writing down, gulping at the many scenarios that went through his mind that involved her attempting to try the recipes out. Cyborg sighed, figuring that whatever Starfire was preparing to make would only have to enter Robin's mouth.

Suddenly, Beast Boy started to wail to another song that emitted through the little buds in his ears. He got up, thrusting his hips and flailing his arms in his failed attempt to dance. He was starting to demonstrate a poorly-practiced air-guitar solo when a mug encased in black magic struck him in the back of his head, sending him hurdling to the floor.

"Ahk!" he yelped, smacking his nose. The changeling sat up, glaring at his dark teammate and rubbing his nose. "What the Hell was that for?"

"Your own good," Raven said simply, gaining a round of snickers from the rest of the Titans. Beast Boy stood up, dusting his uniform and continuing to glare at the girl in front of him.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer," Raven said again, this time even smirking to herself behind her tome. Beast Boy blushed, looking away.

"I-I wasn't staring! I was just…just…Argh! Just forget it," he gave up, turning and stomping out of the common room. The changeling walked past the sliding door and into the hall, looking at his MP3 player. He sifted through songs until he'd found one that he felt like listening to, but as soon as he'd pressed play, the device powered down. Beast Boy screamed in disbelief. His ears dropped as he cursed the player. He continued to walk in depression when something crossed his mind.

"Hey, Cyborg must have something in his room that can charge this thing," he thought aloud, sprinting down the hall. Once he'd reached the half-human's bedroom door, he shifted into a rhinoceros, hitting the door with his horns until it came down with a crash. The changeling shifted back into his human form, peering into the technology-covered room and stepped inside, momentarily shifting into a gorilla to push the door back into place.

Beast Boy looked around for a port that would allow his player to connect with Cyborg's computer. Having learned nothing from his last encounter with Cyborg's electronics and his toys, Beast Boy found a port that vaguely looked like it could fit his device and plugged in his music player. At first, there was a humming noise, but then the system seemed to accept the newly connected piece of technology and resumed whatever it had been doing before. Beast Boy smiled, happy that he'd completed his mission and promptly left the room.

* * *

In the shadow of the room, a dark figure crouched behind a large computer part, smirking to herself. _Just as planned_, she thought. She crept out of the shadows, her eyeless face tilting up as her nose sniffed the air around her. Once she'd established that there was nothing natural within the room, she bowed her head.

_The changeling has connected his music player to the port. Is this where I attach the virus?_ She communicated telepathically.

_Yes, dear partner. You may initiate my final request_, a deep voice replied. The figure smiled, standing and quickly stepping over to the connected device. She pulled out a small device of her own and attached it to Beast Boy's MP3, clicking a button. The device lit up, transferring something over to the player. The figure waited, her mouth watering in anticipation of the completion of her plan. The device's light went out and the figure retrieved it, putting it back in her pocket.

"Perfect," she purred, slipping back into the shadows.

* * *

"Damn it, Beast Boy!" Cyborg yelled as he ran out of his room, the afore-mentioned shape-shifter's music player in his grip. He darted down the hall, gaining speed that normally wouldn't be possible for anything with his mass. _I'm really going to murder that grass stain_, he thought angrily, racing towards the common room. The level of fury inside the half-robot rose as he heard the familiarly obnoxious laughter that emitted from behind the sliding door.

Once he entered the room, everybody felt the wave of terror that pulsed through the air. Beast Boy gulped, momentarily dropping the controller and allowing Robin to pass him and finish the game first. The masked hero would have jumped up in victory, had it not been for the more than six foot tall being that loomed over the two seated boys. Once Cyborg pointed at Beast Boy, Robin took this opportunity to run over to the kitchen and hide behind the counter. Raven, who'd been seated on the far end of the couch, quickly stood and took refuge in the kitchen as well. She hid her face behind her book and closed her eyes, the threatening waves of anger coming from her metallic friend causing fearful shivers to roll down her spine. Starfire let out an "eep", scurrying over to the kitchen and latching her hands onto Robin's shoulders, hiding her face in his back.

Cyborg's human eye twitched, his finger shaking in Beast Boy's face. The changeling gulped, closing his eyes and waiting for his soon-to-be murderer to explode.

"What did I tell you about using my computer for your little toys?" the metal man whispered ominously. Beast Boy laughed nervously.

"Um…don't?" he suggested. Cyborg's nose flared. His finger started to shake violently along with the rest of his body. Beast Boy put his arms up in defense, ready to endure the shower of painful punches and kicks that were about to come his way. Sure enough, they came. Screeches sounded from the large cloud of violence as the three remaining Titans stared in horror. Raven winced through squinted eyes that were peeking just over her book. Starfire tilted her head up and over her boyfriend's shoulder, but then brought it right back down when she saw a particularly painful shot. Robin just stared, mouth agape. After Cyborg was finished inflicting pain upon his green teammate, he turned and walked away, a new calmer aura surrounding his form. Beast Boy lied in a crumpled heap of pain, quietly sobbing. Once Cyborg exited the room, the rest of the team slowly came out of their hiding spots, each one looking around to make sure that it was truly safe.

"Well then," Robin said, breaking the silence that had filled the room. "That was…"

"Completely expected," Raven finished in monotone. "You shouldn't have done that, Beast Boy."

"Don't you think that I had enough punishment?" Beast Boy whined, resuming his depressing state. Raven rolled her eyes, feeling no remorse for the injured changeling and sitting on the couch. Starfire walked over and laid a hand on her green friend's back.

"Yes, friends. He has paid for his sins. Let us not punish him further," she smiled sympathetically.

* * *

_The cyborg has interrupted our plan, Master_, a dark figure communicated using his mind. He floated just above the Tower's roof, dark robe billowing around him.

_I understand, dear partner, but no worries. The changeling will still receive his gift_, a voice sounded, reassuring the dark figure. He sighed, feeling apathetic towards the whole situation.

_Do not doubt your master, dear brother_, a female voice sounded in the dark figure's head. _He knows what he's doing_. The dark figure frowned, his scaly lips pouting.

_I don't see why we have to kill them all_, he continued. _The empath, I understand. She is a threat to our plan, but to kill the rest is-_

"_Just collateral damage" you'd say. Did you ever stop to wonder about what would happen if we only tried to kill the empath? And are you sure she's the _only_ threat to our plan. Looks can be deceiving, dear brother_, the female voice told him.

_Leave my mind, Space. I'll be going now_, he commanded, floating up and disappearing.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Three chapters in one day. I must be in a good mood. Sorry that this is so long, but there's finally some character death happening. I really didn't want to do this, so most of this was stalling, but I did it. I finally killed someone. Wow, that's not something you'd hear everyday...

**3**

Raven sat in her room, meditating as usual. Her mind was a blank slate, completely void of all thought. It was early morning, one of her favourite times of the day. It was still as dark as night, yet it held such a calmer aura. The rest of the residents in the tower were fast asleep, leaving her with the sweet peaceful silence of solitude. Even the emotions in Nevermore were quiet at this time of day. Raven sighed, continuing to drift into her subconscious. This would have lasted until dawn, but the empath soon felt something. A presence. It sent a cold spell throughout her entire body, breaking her concentration. Raven landed back on top of her bed with a thud, looking around to find the source of the disturbance.

Nothing was out of place, but there was a shadow that moved along the far wall. At first, Raven thought that it was just a light trick played by one of her candles, but then she noticed the shapes it created as it moved. They were sharply outlined and shifted slowly along the walls, as though crawling at a snail's pace.

"What in the…" Raven trailed off, following the slow but graceful shadow as it crept towards the window. At first, it surrounded the window in a frame of shadows, the ends curling and moving. Then, the shadow was abruptly pulled out of the opened window and into the sky where it gathered and formed a figure. The figure was covered in black, so it was hard to make out any features in the night sky. Raven gasped.

"Hello, Portal," it said in a soft whisper that couldn't be called anything but female.

"Who are you?" Raven demanded. The figure laughed softly.

"Not '_who_', '_what_', and I cannot tell you such a thing," it said. "Nor can I tell you why I am here. Don't worry though, for you'll soon come into great knowledge about my existence." With that, the dark figure disappeared, leaving a confused Raven with many questions.

* * *

The dark figure drifted in the sky, frowning in deep thought, though it could also be disappointment.

_You've failed in your mission, Space_, a deep voice whispered in the figure's mind. She deepened her frown.

_I have not failed. I have been found. I have led the empath to believe nothing, therefore it has only been a minor setback_, she told the voice.

_Ha, you are indignant as you defend your mistakes. I have seen the future. Just be grateful that it is not altered_, the voice retorted, leaving the figure's mind. The figure scowled, soaring through the sky and disappearing to wherever she felt pleased.

* * *

"You said you _felt_ something?" Robin stared at his dark teammate, who nodded underneath her hood.

"It was strange. At first, I thought that it was only the shadows created by my candles, but it didn't move like the rest. It sort of…flowed past the wall and out of the window. Then, it formed the silhouette of a person. It spoke, saying, 'You'll soon come into great knowledge of my existence.' Then, it vanished," Raven told the masked hero, blinking. Robin looked away, thinking of something. He found the idea of anyone in Raven's room strange, let alone something evil. Although…

"I'm sorry to ask, but could it be another like…Malchior?" Robin asked, flinching as the little girl in front of him closed her eyes at the mention of the name. He felt bad for bringing him up in the first place, but he needed to rule out any clues that may lead him in the wrong direction.

"No. I didn't invite this spirit in this time," Raven answered, opening her eyes.

"Could it be a spirit from the same book? One who escaped at the same time, but had never shown until now?" Robin pressed. Raven shook her head.

"I made sure that no other spirits were dwelling in the tower after we'd defeated him," she told her leader. Robin brought his hand to his chin, thinking again. He wasn't a supernatural specialist, and he knew it, but whatever it was had passed the tower's security system. He couldn't let that go.

"I'll go check on security with Cy. Just keep a look out for anything, alright?" he said. Raven nodded.

* * *

Beast Boy had just recovered from yesterday's ambush, sitting up on his bed and yawning, finally feeling awake enough to leave his room. The changeling smiled at the sun that had shone through to the far wall of his bedroom. He jumped off of the bed, stretching and pulling his familiar black and magenta shirt back on. He was just about to race out of the green-covered room, when a voice called to him.

_Don't forget your music_, it told him. Beast Boy smiled, taking the voice as his own thoughts.

"How could I forget!" he exclaimed, yanking the MP3 off of his desk and turning to leave. He swung his arms back and forth, smiling gleefully as he walked to the welcoming door of the common room.

Once he entered the sunlit room, he was welcomed by somebody shaking him by the shoulders. His music player fell out of his right palm and onto the floor below, the shiny metal glinting in the light. Its owner's head bobbed back in forth with his body as he screamed for his life.

"Cy, no! I'm sorry! Why are you still torturing me?" he whined, feeling his brain smack painfully against his skull. He squeezed his eyes shut, readying himself for the blow that was sure to come.

"What the Hell are you talking about? Cyborg's in Steel City again! I'm Robin!" Robin hissed, finally letting go of his green teammate. The changeling stumbled forward and then to the side, trying to restore his equilibrium. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as the room around him continued to spin in a dizzy haze of nausea. After what seemed like hours, Beast Boy finally regained his balance, straightening his posture and then glaring at his leader after realizing what had just happened.

"Dude! Why would _you_ be shaking me like an abusive parent with his baby?" he demanded.

"Because! Starfire is attempting to try one of the recipes she saw yesterday and I need _you_ to eat it with me so I don't have to suffer alone!" Robin told him. Beast Boy widened his eyes.

"What? Why me? Why can't you get Raven to do it?" he asked, his voice cracking in incredulity. Robin hesitated, his eyes darting to the grey floor beneath them before returning to Beast Boy.

"Raven's-"

"Scary? I know," Beast Boy joked. Robin glared at him through his mask.

"That wasn't what I was going to say. Something happened last night to Raven that forced her to stay in her room. I-I'll explain later. Right now, _you_ need to eat Star's cooking!" the masked hero grabbed the changeling's wrist, pulling him forward despite his pleas. Beast Boy kept attempting to free himself from the leader's vice-like grip, all tries in vain. He even fell to the floor, refusing to move, but Robin simply dragged him towards the table, completely ignoring the green teen's cries for freedom.

"Hey, Star! Guess who just stopped by for breakfast!" Robin grinned, picking Beast Boy up and dropping him into a seat. The changeling tried to run away then, but the masked Titan carefully blocked his path, laughing evilly every time Beast Boy had to try again. A gasp sounded from behind the kitchen counter, echoing through each boy's ears. To one, it meant undeniable love. To the other, it meant impending doom.

"Why, hello, friend Beast Boy! I am most pleased that you have come to share the breaking of the fast with Robin and me!" Starfire chirped cheerfully, her flour-smeared cheeks bunching to her eyes as she smiled. Robin smiled as well, but his was less sincere.

"As am I," he said, turning to his green friend and shifting the mood in his grin to one more sinister. He bent down so that he was at the same level as the changeling. "Now, you can't escape," he whispered. Beast Boy whimpered.

* * *

A dark figure loomed over the tower, its robe blocking the light from reaching its scaled skin and igniting it in flames. It watched the events that passed behind the clear glass of the window, feeling nothing. It watched as the changeling was force-fed large portions of a soggy brown substance. Had it not been for the gift of fore-viewing, the figure might have expected the green being to have keeled over then and there.

_Enjoying the view, Time_? A soft voice interrupted the figure's thoughts.

_I am anxious in waiting for the gift to be received. I wish to see this creature's past, but I do not want to appear disobedient towards Master,_ the figure replied.

_You will, dear brother, once he's received the gift. Until then, you must leave, for Master cannot perform unless we are absent_, the voice warned. The dark figure sighed, turning and drifting into nothing.

* * *

Raven breathed out, flipping viciously through countless pages of a book taken from her shelf. The shivers came and went through her body, causing her temperature to appear to fall and her vision to blur. She continued to search for an answer to her problems, her hands shaking as her blinking eyes darted from page to page. She had to find a reason for all of this. There must be an explanation. And once there was an explanation, there was solution.

Before she could sift through the last page, she sensed yet another figure, this one more ominous than the ones from before. It was in the tower this time, seeming to be searching for something. Raven ran to her door, pressing the button and storming into the hall. As she ran, she felt sheer cold run through her. It felt as though her entire body was freezing from the core. When she felt the cold pull in one direction, she turned a corner, her blue cloak whipping behind her in a lifeless wind.

Robin and Starfire were walking in the opposite direction, laughing and cooing as they looked into each other's eyes. Robin caught sight of the dark Titan, his mind snapping out of whatever romantic thought he had and entered one of utter urgency.

"Raven? Where are you going?" he asked, lifting his arm to block the empath from continuing in her sprint, but failing as she swatted the outstretched appendage, never breaking her stride.

"I-I feel something. I-It's in the common room. Is anybody in there?" she asked as her two teammates ran after her.

"Beast Boy? But he should be fine. We left him listening to music. What could be going on in there?" Robin asked.

"Friend Raven? Is there something wrong with Beast Boy?" Starfire asked in innocence as she flew over the two grounded Titans. The common room door was not far in their sight. Each Titan picked up speed to cross the last portion of the path towards the metal door. Soon the door slid open, revealing Beast Boy sitting on the couch, his head bowed slightly. Robin and Starfire sighed. Raven felt the cold leave her with one last shudder. Now, it was replaced with something else. Something even worse than what she'd experienced before.

"Beast Boy?" she called out, gaining no response. Music blared from the green teen's ear-buds, so everyone assumed that he couldn't hear them.

"Hey, Beast Boy," Robin called a little louder. Still, no response.

"Perhaps he is asleep?" Starfire suggested, carefully stepping towards the couch. For a split second, there was a moment of completely blissful silence. Everything in the room felt perfect. Then, a scream that literally threw Robin and Raven back emitted from Starfire's lips. The heart-wrenching scream lasted long enough to blow the eardrums of the remaining Titans before it gradually quieted down to short rapid shrieks.

Robin ran over to his girlfriend to try and soothe her before he took a look at the being in front of him and screamed. Raven flew over, but fell once she saw the view as well. She slapped her palm over her mouth to keep from screaming herself.

Blood flowed freely from every orifice on Beast Boy's head. The ear-buds, still in his lifeless ears caused the blood from his ears to leak instead of bleed out completely. He looked serene, as though this were nothing to worry about. The changeling's uniform was soaked in his own crimson solution and his eyes were glazed over. Beast Boy was not asleep. He was dead.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Here is chapter 4, because I suddenly found an idea for another Titan's death. I feel like a serial killer, but that's okay, because it provides me with the necessary creativity to write a horror story. Again, my heart is breaking for killing my two favourite characters first, but it's crucial to the plot. Crap, I think I just gave something away. I should stop writing. Enjoy the chapter though!

* * *

**4**

The three Titans sat in one of the many spare rooms of the towers, none saying a word. There was an air of dread that drifted back and forth between the grey walls, reminding each hero of what they'd just seen. Starfire silently sobbed, her hand covering her mouth. Her hair was matted to her grief-stricken face with tears. Raven shook, blinking rapidly as she stared at the far wall. Her breathing came in short bursts of inhales and exhales. Robin was frozen in a state of shock. The eyes behind his mask seemed to be looking everywhere, but nowhere at the same time. Had it not been for Starfire's cries, the whole tower would have been silent.

Soon, the three Titans heard a familiar voice bounce off of the walls outside the room. It called out each of their names, the tone innocent and happy. It would have felt like an insult had it not been for the ignorance that came with it. A fairly normal Cyborg walked in with a puzzled look on his face. He questioned the Titans, wondering why they would find themselves in an empty room. Robin slowly craned his neck to look at his teammate, admiring and envying his ignorant behaviour.

"Did you see the common room?" he asked slowly, his voice nearly robotic had it not been for the grieving undertone that came with it. Cyborg's expression deepened.

"N-No, this door's closer to the entrance than the common room is. Why would…Star? Star, why are you crying?" he noticed his alien friend sobbing as she rocked back and forth in her place. The metal Titan quickly walked over to the girl and bent down, trying to pull her hand away from her face. Starfire pulled away, screaming at him in Tamaranian. She erupted in sorrow-filled screams that echoed within the room. Cyborg looked over at Robin and Raven with a wondering expression on his face.

"What's going on? Guys? Rae, why are you shaking?" he asked the dark Titan. At first, she didn't acknowledge his presence, but then she opened her mouth, her voice cracking.

"H-He's dead. Beast Boy's dead," she whispered.

* * *

A dark figure drifted through the tower's halls, trying to find something. Its head turned back and forth, trying to read the doors as it passed. It almost felt pleased with one gift finally received. Still, it remained unmoved as it floated and stopped at its destination.

_Do not let your mind deter you from completing your mission, dear partner_, a deep voice sounded in its head. The figure frowned for the umpteenth time that day.

_Of course. I would end when I allow such a thing to happen_, it joked with no laugh.

_You were always such a joker, Time, as it has shown in your work_, the voice joked with him.

_Dear Master, I do not make the mistakes. They do. I merely record them_, the figure said.

_Very well, dear partner. Complete your mission_, the voice disappeared, leaving the figure to continue his job. He sunk through the floor, pulling out a shiny black claw. He sliced through the foundation, only leaving it partially intact. Once he'd finished, he rose again to meet the door and disappeared into the dark.

* * *

Beast Boy's body lied on the medical bed, his dead eyes closed. The blood had been washed from his head and he had clean clothes on. A metal hand came over to pull the sheet over the changeling's head as a form of closure. Beast Boy wasn't coming back. Cyborg turned away and walked out of the infirmary, shaking his head. He pinched the bridge of his nose to keep from shedding tears. Once the sliding door shut behind him, the metal being sighed.

"So?" Robin greeted. "How did…it happen?" He'd put on a mask of authority to hide his own grief, but sadness still crept into the tone of his voice. Cyborg leaned against the wall, breathing out of his mouth.

"All of that…blood. I-It was his b-brain. I-It melted," the half-human had to take a few deep breaths. He forced the compassionate parts of his mind away and momentarily replaced them with those of logic. "He died in nearly ten seconds. It seems as though there was a sort of frequency in one of his songs. That level of frequency is low enough to cause such a thing. Combined with his sensitive ears and the level of volume his music was playing, his brain just…melted." Robin blinked incredulously.

"He was killed by…his _music_?" he asked. Cyborg nodded.

"As ridiculous as it sounds, yes," he told his leader. Robin shook his head.

"No. No, it can't be," the masked hero shook, the grief starting to take over.

"Look, I can explain this, but it will only sound worse," Cyborg warned. Robin nodded.

"I don't care. Continue," he stated. Cyborg sighed.

"Think about it as a microwave, because that was the level of frequency the sound was on. Now, imagine Beast Boy's head in a microwave. Now-"

"Alright! Stop! I get it. Just, stop," Robin put his hands to his ears, squeezing his eyes shut. He bared his teeth, trying to eliminate the image from his mind. Cyborg saw his friend's struggle and started to feel his own sadness seep into his conscious. He regretted having ever said anything as he bowed his head.

* * *

Raven and Starfire sat on Raven's bed. Starfire's head was buried in a light blue pillow, her heart wrenching in agony as she bawled. She shook from head to toe, causing the bed to vibrate in time with her sorrow. Raven allowed a few tears to escape her eyes. She carefully blotted them with a now wet tissue once they reached her chin. She was struck with grief, but also guilt. Her mind was in a state of awry, Nevermore seeming to be in an emotional war. She closed her eyes, wanting to numb the pain.

"F-Friend Raven?" Starfire lifted her face from her make-shift crying shoulder to look at the empath. Raven turned to her friend.

"Yes, Starfire?" she replied.

"Do you still sense his presence?" the alien asked. Raven looked at Starfire for a moment before bursting into tears, shaking her head. She leaned into the Tamaranian's shoulder and let out one long anguished scream.

* * *

_The gift will be greatly appreciated now, dear brother. You should be proud_, a figure stood next to her sibling, gripping his hand. Both robed beings stared through the empath's window, feeling no remorse for what they'd done. Or, what they're about to do. In fact, one of them felt pleased with their work.

_Space, you are arrogant in your beliefs. Hold your tongue. My gift still has yet to be received_, the figure next to his sister admonished. She frowned.

_Ha, pessimist. I expect it so, for you have seen more than your share of tragedies_, she laughed in her brother's mind, who sighed.

_Let us depart. Master has to deliver the gift for it to be received_, he said, pulling his sister into the air and vanishing.

* * *

Starfire still sat in Raven's room, her eyes too tired for sobs. She waited patiently for her friend to come back as she stared at the far wall. The alien held her slug pet which she'd retrieved from her room, stroking its side with a gentle hand. She continued to wonder what her dark friend had been going to do when she'd left the room.

_FLASHBACK:_

Raven had been sobbing onto Starfire's shoulder before abruptly leaning away, wiping her tears.

"A thought just crossed my mind," she said. Starfire tilted her head, her hair falling with it.

"Maybe if I knew the cause of his death, I'd be able to save him," there was a look in Raven's eye that the alien didn't like. It was a mixture of grief, peace and…insanity. The empath slowly smiled, the corners of her grey lips creeping up the sides of her face.

"Friend Raven? Are you well?" Starfire asked her friend as she stood, straightening her cloak. Raven turned to look at the outer worldly hero.

"Never better," she replied tranquilly, walking towards her door and floating down the hall.

_FLASHBACK OVER._

Starfire sighed, looking down at her alien muse and tickling its belly. The worm gurgled in glee, but its owner only felt despair. A few seconds of silence passed before the alien heard light footsteps nearing the door. She straightened in her seat on the bed, feeling hopeful despite her grief. The footsteps got louder and louder until the alien could swear Raven had returned. But then there was a loud cracking noise. There was a pause before more cracks were heard. Starfire heard something break and then a heartbreaking scream sounded outside Raven's door.

"Raven!" Starfire screamed, racing over to the door and looking out into the hall. At first, the alien didn't see a thing, but when she looked down, there was a hole that seemed to carry down into the floor below. Starfire gasped before slipping through the hole. She found herself floating into the weight room, the shiny metal and mirrors surrounding her. There was also something else that lined the perimeter of the large room. It was blood. Starfire looked down to see Raven faced down on a bench, a barbell above her neck. The alien saw the empath's blood trickle down the mirrored walls before she proceeded to inspect her friend, the reality of the incident not yet sinking in.

Once Starfire was close to enough to correctly assess the damage, she fell to the ground, landing in a pool of blood. The alien screeched in horror at what had happened to her friend. Raven's head seemed to somehow be separated from her body, the arteries in her neck still squirting blood around her. Her blue cloak was drenched in the warm liquid, more blood flowing freely from her torso. Her arms dangled lifelessly by her sides as they swayed, blood dripping off of them as well. The empath's head rolled to the side, revealing her serene face to the alien girl. Its dead lips parted, letting even more blood trickle down the side of the dead girl's cheek.

"Starfire?" Robin voice was heard outside the walls of the weight room. It continued to scream out for the alien as it got louder, now accompanied by heavy footsteps. Soon the door burst open to reveal the leader along with Cyborg, who stomped into the crimson-painted room.

"What the…AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" the metal man screamed as he saw what had happened. He kept screaming as he ran over to Starfire's side, falling to his knees and gripping his head in his hands.

"OH MY GOD!" Robin screeched, tugging at his black hair. Starfire lied on her side in the pool of life liquid, shaking uncontrollably. To add insult to injury, a dumbbell fell and landed on the dead empath's back, sinking her further into the bench. A figure sat in the shadow of the angst-filled room, smiling to herself as she licked some of the blood from her wrist.

_Beautiful_, she whispered delicately.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Chapter five, finally. I sort of felt as though this chapter was dragged on somehow. I think it was just a chapter to fill in some missing info (a filler chapter if you will). More character death. Still painful to write, just as the next chapter will be (I have been tempted to call a therapist due to the gruesome ways of each death). Thank you to all who read/favourited/story alerted/reviewed, they're all that kept me going XD. I should stop writing, for this chapter is long and my hands are hurting and I have homework to do (at some point). Enjoy!

* * *

**5**

_That came too close_, a dark figure stood on the shore of the T-Tower. Night had washed over the city, allowing him to reveal his horrifying appearance. He sat down on the soft grass, the green blades turning brown and crispy under his presence. The dark figure leaned back on his arms, staring up at the larger-than-life-sized letter building without eyes, trying to gather a few shreds of contentment, but feeling unable to do so. Dying was such a waste of time to the figure and he didn't understand why people had to do it.

_This situation is usually best handled by Space. She understands death better than I, I'm afraid. She has a better knowledge of matter and its ever-changing ways. Why am I so engulfed in the world of life and death? My sister and I should have nothing to do with it. Surely Master-_

_Musing again, Time? _A deep voice sounded. The dark figure frowned.

_Dear Master you must respect my thoughts_, he told it. The voice laughed.

_Foolish being, so disgruntled. You have no need for such emotions, have you forgotten?_ It said.

_Why, of course. Emotions are useless to me_, the figure told his master. The voice laughed again.

_Ha, you are the echo of the empath_, it taunted. _Ah, yes, the empath. Perfect timing and a fitting end indeed. I am pleased with this death, and also relieved. She questioned too much. You put such a ludacris thought into her mind, dear partner._

_You are forgetting, dear Master, that each casualty must be at peace when they die_, Time retorted.

_Yes, dear partner, but was she at peace? If I do recall, she'd cried for her life before she passed_, the voice retaliated. The dark figure smirked despite his irked demeanour.

_Ha, irony plagued the empath. As she lived, she cried for death. Yet as she died, she cried for life. You are right, dear Master. A fitting end it was indeed_, he laughed with no humour. His master laughed with him.

_May you both flee from here? I cannot concentrate while you two joke and quarrel_, a female voice hissed through both beings' minds.

_Hold your tongue, dear partner, and respect your place_, the deep voice said with authority. It sighed. _Very well, dear partner. Shall we allow your sister to continue her distribution?_

_We shall, dear Master. Farewell, Space_, Time saluted.

_Be gone, brother_, the figure's sister snorted as she stalked the hall. She wandered the halls by foot, feeling that flight wasn't necessary. She felt fairly safe, as the current residents hadn't even bothered to light the whole building. Her mission was near complete, or rather her and her brother's mission was near complete. Time had already done his part. He placed a lifeless hand on a small bottle, feeling its contents curdle and waste away. Now, Space had only one thing to do. Destroy the battery on the T-car.

She felt happy with this plan. Her missions were within her element and she had the chance to see what she liked the most; matter reforming and creatures being returned to nature. She had agreed with this plan since the air-killing presence had first approached her and her twin, explaining his plot. Her mouth never ceased to curl upward despite her brother's constant depression. She was fascinated with Death's work and was happy to join him.

Once Space had finally reached the Titan's garage, she pulled her hood over her head to avoid the bright light that consumed the room. She looked around, seeing many parts lining walls and glistening as they proudly showed their novelty. The dark figure frowned. _What a waste of matter automobiles are_, she thought, carefully stepping over carelessly thrown objects to reach her goal.

Once she had arrived at the side of the vehicle, she carefully lifted the hood with ease, starting the car not a necessity. The dark figure slipped the claw of her smallest finger through the battery, easing the nail in until it reappeared through the bottom of the car. She retracted her finger, closing her eyes and focusing on the contents that dripped from the punctured battery, carefully separating them. After she'd finished, she quickly pulled down the hood and vanished into the shadow underneath the car.

* * *

It had been a few days since the deaths of Beast Boy and Raven. No Titan had even begun to think of funeral arrangements. Their teammates' bodies rested in the infirmary due to a lack of a morgue. The air in the tower continued to smother the remaining heroes in depression. Though it had been saddening, nobody could put the blame on anyone but fate. It seemed to the Titans as though it was just their time to go. To them, it had all been freak accidents. A bad download, unsteady foundation. These were all just accidents…right?

Starfire continued to sob day after day. Her grief had even brought down the mood of her beloved pet Silkie. The worm wriggled on its owner's back, begging to be fed and held again. It almost looked as though the poor creature had been crying itself. The sun ironically shined through the alien's bedroom window, bouncing off of the walls and surrounding her in a bright taunt of colour. The alien brought another pillow to her head to block out the light, groaning in annoyance.

In a maniacal and incredibly stupid way, Starfire still held onto the hope that at least one of her friends would return to life. When she closed her eyes, she couldn't help but imagine one or both of her beloved teammates to rip the sheet from their newly reborn bodies and step onto the floor, walking out of the infirmary and into the hall, resuming their lives. She imagined Beast Boy sitting happily in the common room with a video game. She imagined Raven meditating peacefully by her favourite window. Yet, she knew that if she were to check these areas, there wouldn't be a soul there to occupy them. She squeezed her eyes shut, her heart compressing as she let out another sob.

Robin sat at the computer, occupying his mind with the city's villains, who still hadn't shown face at all during the week. There wasn't a single crime committed, which scared the leader. He needed something to do, something other than sitting at the computer, checking and re-checking files. He did all the shopping, buying groceries and running errands. Anything he could do to keep his mind off of his friend's deaths. The masked hero sighed, slumping further in his seat and re-reading yet another file on Control Freak.

Cyborg was filling a bottle with a substance that had leaked from the T-car, swearing under his breath. He, like Robin, kept finding things to do with his time to keep his mind busy. He spent all day in the garage, fine-tuning the vehicles and changing fluids. He was nearly finished draining the clear substance from the battery when his mind flashed to a memory.

_FLASHBACK:_

"I-I think I knew what happened," Raven looked up at him, smiling. Her eyes were wide and crazed, yet her demeanour was peaceful.

"Y-You know what happened to him? H-How? Wasn't it just the bad frequency in a song?" Robin asked, his head shifting from her to Cyborg. He didn't like this look on Raven. Of course he, as well as the rest of the team, had long awaited a moment where the dark Titan would appear happy, but this wasn't the moment. No, this was far from it.

Raven looked up at her leader's face and closed her eyes. "Have you ever felt a presence?" she asked. She opened her eyes and frowned to look at her teammates when they did not answer.

"A presence. Or, a feeling perhaps. Have you ever had a feeling where something was just not right? Where a chill ran through your bones? Tell me, please, whether or not you've felt your heart freeze just before something sinister was about to happen. Please…say something. Anything," she looked at the floor with now sad eyes. Robin and Cyborg looked at her in confusion.

"Rae?" Cyborg called. Raven's head shot back up to meet her metal friend's. "Are you okay?" The empath's eyes started to glow white with fury as objects around her started to float around the room.

"Is that all you have to say?" she screeched through clenched teeth. Tears flowed freely from her eyes, her hand continuously wiping them away. Robin put his hands up in defense.

"Raven…" he shook his head. Raven blinked, the power in her eyes diminishing as the object slowly touched the ground. She turned her back to her teammates, pulling her hood up and taking a few steps towards the door.

"Don't worry about me. I'm not dead yet," she whispered, leaving the room.

_FLASHBACK OVER._

The memory hit Cyborg like a bullet. He dropped his wrench, swallowing as a few stray tears fell from the corners of his eyes. He quickly wiped them away with his grease-covered cloth and rolled out from underneath his car, clutching the liquid-filled bottle and walking out of the garage.

* * *

Starfire stood between then beds of her dead friends in the infirmary, her insanity rising. She'd uncovered Raven and Beast Boy's faces, smiling down at their serene expressions. She imagined that they were only sleeping, about to awaken at any given moment. The alien laid a tender kiss on each of their foreheads, frowning when she felt that their fleshes were both cold. She sighed, allowing her mind to drift to a happier time, perhaps back in Tokyo, where they'd all stood on the podium, accepting a myriad of awards from the citizens. Or maybe when they'd all first met, the life of their relationships stretched far before them.

Starfire re-opened her eyes, her mind being brought back to the present with a shudder. She felt a presence surround her as it circled the room. The alien looked around, suddenly feeling unsafe. She quickly recovered her friends' heads and ran out of the infirmary, her fear and grief keeping her from flying.

_Maybe some mustard would help calm your nerves_, a voice sounded in Starfire's head. The alien stopped, thinking for a moment. _I have not had the mustard in a long while. This thought must be correct; the mustard may be able to help ease my sorrow_, she floated, feeling a morsel of hope fill her gut.

Starfire reached the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out the familiar yellow bottle and swallowing a mouthful. The alien waited for a moment, but then noticed something about the condiment. It didn't taste as good as she'd once thought. The taste burned her mouth and made one of her nine stomachs flip in sudden pain. Starfire dropped the bottle, backing away.

"This bottle must not be of 'best before'," she realized. She started to feel bile jump in her throat, each jump getting closer and closer to her mouth. Soon, the alien ran over to the sink and vomited into to drain, her red hair becoming drenched in the rancid fluid. Starfire began to feel weak as she searched for anything to calm her insides. She saw a bottle of what appeared to be water sitting on the counter, the light of the kitchen making it shine in her eyes. To the alien, it looked like her saviour. Too bad it would be her reaper.

* * *

_Look at her_, a dark figure stood in the shadows of the common room, smiling evilly at the show before him. He watched in greed as yet another soul would soon become available to him. The thrashing and vain clutches to the slipping life of the alien amused the being. He felt content once he'd seen the foam emerge from her mouth, her soon-to-be lifeless body slowly sinking to the floor. She gripped her stomach and throat, kicking and screaming as best as she could while fate took its course.

_Is the gift being received, dear Master_? A female voice sang in the figure's head, who smiled.

_Yes, dear partner. The alien is quite the fighter. I fear I may have to increase her pain for her to acquire her peace. Worry not; for she is near her end_, the dark figure clenched his fist, causing the limbs of the alien before him to go limp and the foam that flowed from her mouth to become red. He smiled when he saw her face relax and become calm.

_Rest, dear alien princess. You are at peace_, it said.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Finally, chapter six. I'm really glad that this chapter is finished, because I can now move forward with the story and maybe answer some questions that were raised in the process. Character death (of course). I'm sorry to say that this chapter is sort of long and dragged on, and it has tired me greatly. Anyway, Enjoy!

* * *

**6**

Robin walked gloomily down the hall. His head was bowed and his eyes were on the floor. He'd manage to peel himself away from the computer for a while to visit the local police station to help with the investigation of the missing villains. He couldn't help but find it strange that there were no crimes committed at all. Of course, he could've just believed that the usual suspects were feeling lazy this week, but the leader had an ominous feeling that something more sinister was at hand.

The masked hero passed Starfire's door, stopping and tilting his head. He contemplated knocking, but hesitated when he remembered how the alien reacted to what he'd said after they'd left the weight room. Robin sighed, turning to leave before hearing something scratch at the door. He faced the door once again and leaned in, listening for the noise again. When it sounded, Robin's curiosity rose.

"Starfire?" he called. The only response he received was the continuous scratching at the door from the other side. "Star?" he tried again. More scratches. Worry started to seep into his conscious as the hero started to knock. When he knocked the scratches grew louder in sound, worrying Robin even more. He bit his lip and entered the override, feeling that whatever breach of privacy Starfire may feel afterwards was worth settling his worries.

Robin looked around the room to find no Starfire in sight. He looked down and found Silkie wriggling on the ground at his feet. _So it was Silkie_, the hero realized, bending down to retrieve the pet. The worm felt slightly lighter in Robin's arms, which scared the leader. He deduced that it must've missed a few meals due to its owner's grief, and took it with him to the common room, scratching its belly in an effort to soothe the poor creature.

* * *

Cyborg was in his room, updating the technology once again on his enormous computer. For the most part, his mind was occupied, but he couldn't help feeling a little grim towards it all. His heart still twisted with agony, and, when he paused, a few tears escaped his eyes. Perhaps if the death of his friends weren't so gruesome, he might've been able to accept it. He didn't understand why they had to go in such a way. Now, every time he recalled the times he'd called Beast Boy "brainless", it impaled him with guilt.

The half-human sighed, tapping away yet again at the keyboard beneath his fingers. He found a window that looked intriguing, and opened it. It showed him the list of songs that had been on the dead changeling's MP3 player, feeling a new wave of guilt set in. He cradled his head in his hands, breathing out slowly as to not let more tears fall. The whole picture looked odd; a supposedly strong being showing such vulnerability.

The metal man was just about to close the window, when something caught his eye. He moved the mouse over one song and found that a small yellow box appeared next to his cursor, which read "virus detected". Cyborg realized that it must've been the song that killed him, so he pressed play.

At first, the song sounded like one of Beast Boy's wretched rock songs, so he turned it up. When it hit a certain amount, a buzzing sound emitted from the computer speakers, peaking Cyborg's curiosity. It wasn't deadly, but it sure was annoying. The metal Titan turned it up a little more, causing the buzzing to become more evident within the song. The noise was starting to pound painfully in Cyborg's ears, so he paused the song, sighing. _Now I know what killed him, but where does that leave me_? He thought, standing up and taking a break. The metal man was about to leave his room when he heard a bone-chilling cry of pain.

"Robin?" he thought aloud. He quickly raced out of his room, his heavy feet clanking as he stepped. The screams had already died down once he turned the corner to the common room. Cyborg passed the sliding door and tripped, landing face-first on the floor. He sat up with a groan of frustration, looking behind to find the cause of his fall. He noticed the beloved pet worm of Starfire wriggling its way over to the half-human, its gurgles sounding more distressed than they ever had.

"Silkie?" Cyborg watched the little creature come to a stop at his leg, picking it up and looking at its face. Its expression was that of distraught, its little legs flailing as it turned uncomfortably. "Where's…" Cyborg heard faint moaning coming from the kitchen, feeling a sudden chill in the air. He stood up and stepped slowly over to the counter, watching and listening carefully.

"Rob? Robin? You in here man?" he called, peeking over the counter before jumping and accidentally dropping Silkie, the worm landing on the counter with a soft thud. Cyborg slowly looked back over the counter and realized what he'd seen wasn't his imagination. Robin sat with Starfire's head in his lap, crying softly. The leader was covered in the alien's blood, the liquid streaking his cheeks and running with the tears that seeped through his mask. He rocked back and forth, wiping some of his tears away with his bloodstained gloves.

Cyborg looked at the body of Starfire, feeling a new wave of grief settle over him. Her torso had burned through to her ribcage, exposing her corroded organs to the world. Had it not been for her spine, she would have been completely severed in half. The metal man fell to the floor, burying his head in his hands. He tried to make himself believe that what he'd just seen hadn't happened. He opened his eyes and saw the empty bottle of sulphuric acid that he'd left on the counter earlier that day roll over to him, his mind putting each piece in place.

_Oh God_, he thought,_ this is my fault_.

* * *

"No, Star. Don't go. Please, come back," Robin said to himself, continuously running his bloody fingers through his hair. He softly tapped his forehead on the nearby wall, his heart feeling as though it had been ripped to shreds. The rue in his soul was starting to take over, his mind now not completing thoughts. Robin continued to sit on the floor outside of the infirmary, waiting in vain to hear the verdict about his love.

Cyborg stepped out of the door to the makeshift charnel house, not looking at his masked leader. Robin kept his gaze on his friend as he took a seat next to him and put his head in his hands for the thousandth time that day. Cyborg let out a shaky breath, never lifting his head.

"Robin, I'm sorry," he told his teammate, shaking his concealed head. Robin just stared at the half-robot, not sure how to take the statement.

"W-What do you mean?" he asked. There was a pause of silence before Cyborg spoke up.

"This is my fault," he whispered, shaking his head. "It's all my fault."

"What? How?" Robin regarded his friend with suspicious concern. The masked hero heard the metal Titan sniffle before continuing.

"I-I left that bottle of acid in the kitchen. I left it there and…and Star drank it…Why did she drink it? Just…why?" Cyborg looked up at the ceiling, his expression mournful. He put his head back down and just waited for Robin's response. At first, the Titan leader didn't know what to say. His mind was racing with thoughts of every emotion possible. He struggled to find one that seemed appropriate for this situation. Once he did, he reacted accordingly.

A loud punch echoed off of the walls of the hall, causing a wave of silence to ripple through the air. For the first few seconds, neither Titan knew exactly what had happened. Cyborg stared at the ceiling as he fell back. Robin looked at his hand, which was outstretched to where his metal friend had been sitting. Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion until Cyborg hit the ground. Once time sped up, Robin exploded.

"You bastard!" he screamed. He stood up, towering over the fallen metal being. "You did it! You killed Star!"

Cyborg groaned in pain, rubbing his nose as he sat up again. He looked at the enraged male standing over him.

"You probably did it on purpose," Robin hissed. "You probably killed them all. Didn't you? You killed our friends! You killed them!" He was now shaking, the veins in his forehead prominent. Cyborg kept staring, his expression disbelieving.

"I would never kill our friends," he whispered, feeling his heart sink. Robin snorted rudely as he regarded his teammate in contempt.

"I wouldn't, Rob. Just…stop. I know it hurts, but putting blame on people won't solve anything," Cyborg said calmly. Robin looked fiercely at the teen before collapsing into a seated position, covering his face with his hands as he started to cry.

"Why? Why, Star, why?" he moaned into his blood-covered gloves. Cyborg crawled over to his friend and laid a comforting hand on his back.

"I know man," he said. "I know."

* * *

_I know I should not question Death, but…I can't help but feel bad for these beings. The human held so much love for his alien amour, as I've now seen in her past. The alien also did not need to go in such a horrid fashion. None of them did_, Time floated around the T-Tower, his robe once again blocking out the late afternoon sun. The dark figure settled on one spot in the air, his feet planted as though they were on the ground.

_Time should not be wasted on such disobedient thoughts, dear brother_, a female voice sounded as another figure appeared next to Time. The voice chuckled softly at her own pun, her cadaverous shoulders rising and falling. Her brother frowned, sighing and looking up at the sky.

_Why do you question Death? Is it not natural? Is it not just "moving forward"?_ Space asked telepathically.

_Moving forward, such a contradictory term. Are _they_ moving forward? As I see them, they continue to reflect on the past_, Time shot back. Space frowned, turning away from her twin and daring to gaze in the direction of the sun.

_You are tedious, dear brother. Can you not see the wonderful opportunities that have arose before us? Before the universe? Have you not looked into the future to marvel at the beautiful moments in time that will have allowed you to thrive?_ The dark being looked back at her brother, her eyeless face a still and clear expression of stall.

_Such things do not matter to me, sister. I can correctly assume the future by looking into the past. Besides, most of the opportunities that you've implied are solely for your sake, not mine_, Time scowled once again. Space frowned as well, looking down at the water below.

_Be grateful Master is finishing the job regarding the duo of malefactors. I, however, have a human to put to rest in peace_, she smiled before vanishing.

* * *

The next day, Robin wandered the halls sulkily. He hadn't bothered to gel his hair, thus creating the shadows or the black strands on his face. He chose the abandoned floors of the Titans' Tower as to not bring up too many memories. At this point, the masked hero didn't even care for missions, not that they came. The red alert was never used and the police hadn't called, leaving Robin and Cyborg to their own morbid thoughts. There was always a constant chill in the air and it created the perfect atmosphere for mourns. And death.

Robin decided to walk back over to his room, thinking of doing a little more vain research on Jump's most notorious villains. He stepped through his doorway, scowling at the sunshine that glared through his window. He quickly crossed the distance between the door and the window and pulled the curtains, swiftly blocking out the light. The masked hero sighed, feeling yet another wave of grief wash over him. He quickly swallowed it down with a gulp and used his own training to fight back the tears.

Once he'd pulled himself together again, he sat at his computer and booted it up. The monitor flicked blue light before it slowly lit up, illuminating Robin's face in the process. He typed in his password and the image on the screen shifted to show a multitude of opened windows and files. He clicked on a window titled "Hive" and commenced reading. Everything looked like stuff he'd read before, until he reached a link on the bottom. Perplexed, the masked hero clicked on the link, opening a new window and seeing the information for the first time.

"Why haven't I seen this before?" Robin though aloud, scanning the article for anything interesting. Apparently, the composition had explained the deaths of two Hive Academy members, Mammoth and Gizmo. It had also depicted the death of Red-X, which was described as "astounding" and "shocking". Robin leaned away in his seat, feeling stunned. The hero waited a minute before the information started to sink in. His jaw dropped, his body frozen in its position. _What the Hell_? He thought as he raised a shaky hand to scroll through the rest of the article. Pictures of the three villains, as well as others, covered the article in a frenzy of death.

"Hey Rob?" Cyborg's voice was heard outside of Robin's door, momentarily snapping the leader out of his thoughts.

"Y-Yeah?" he replied.

"Can I come in? I need to show you something," he explained, waiting for the sliding door to open. When it did, the metal Titan slid in Robin's room with a small stack of sheets in his arms. He walked over to where the leader was sitting and shoved the papers in his face.

"Look at this," he said. Robin took the papers out of his hand and skimmed the pages, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Music? Who the Hell cares?" he asked his friend, looking up. Cyborg rolled his human eye.

"Not just any music, _Beast Boy's_ music," at this statement, the eyes of Robin's mask went wide.

"Y-You mean-"

"Yes. These are the songs that killed him," Cyborg finished for the masked Titan. Both heroes felt a pang of sorrow. "It turns out that more than half of these songs contained a virus that carried the frequency. When Beast Boy plugged his MP3 into my computer, the virus somehow managed to transfer onto his songs, contaminating them."

Robin blinked behind his mask before speaking up.

"S-So, what you're saying…is that it's your fault?" the leader asked. Cyborg blinked incredulously.

"What the Hell are you saying?" he asked with a hint of oppression. Robin laughed with no humour.

"Oh please, Cy. Just stop with that," he stood up, facing the half-robot. Cyborg just looked at him, shaking his head.

"Robin, I would never do that. I already told you that yesterday. I can't believe you would still think-"

"You make me sick, you know that? Come on! The evidence is _right there_! Wasn't it _your_ computer Beast Boy plugged his MP3 into, which by the way, was supposed to be _foolproof_? And wasn't it _your_ bottle of acid that Star drank? Huh? By the way, who used the gym last? Oh, I know, it was _you_!" Robin screamed at Cyborg. "_You_ killed them! Stop lying to me and just admit it!"

Cyborg looked at the insane leader, feeling dumbfounded and hurt. He had to admit it, it did sound convincing. If he didn't know, even _he'd_ believe that he had killed their friends. The metal male continued to stare at Robin, contemplating something. He figured that this must be the worst of it, so he gave in.

"Fine," he muttered, closing his eyes. "I killed them." Robin's eye twitched, his entire body going limp with shock. A few painful minutes passed before any reaction occurred. Robin started to shake, bearing his teeth. The shaking grew more and more violent, until he appeared to be convulsing.

"You bastard," he spat through his teeth. Cyborg looked at the floor, waiting in gloom for his punishment. He felt as though his entire life was meaningless. He'd lost his dearest and closest friends, and on top of it, he was being blamed for it all. His shoulders slumped in defeat as he stood in anticipation.

"YOU BASTARD!" Robin raised his fist, and brought it down onto the keyboard of his computer. A spark was seen, and a deadly current traveled up the leader's arm and through his body. Now Robin was shaking again, but this time, it was due to the 1200 watts that passed through his system and back to the floor. Cyborg's head shot up in horror as he watched his leader, his human eye bulging and his mouth agape.

"Oh my God!" he cried, lunging at the nearly late Robin and trying to pry his arm from the baleful keyboard. The current reached his metal, sucking as much energy from him as possible before it exploded, sending the two Titans flying over to the far wall. Cyborg landed on his metal abdomen with a loud thud, the lack of power almost causing him to shut down. He weakly raised his head to see Robin lying lifelessly across from him.

"No," he whispered. He summoned all of his strength to crawl over to his unconscious friend. He lightly tapped the masked hero's face. Robin's head rolled with every tap, but reverted back to its place each time. His mouth hung open as his head turned to the right, signifying that he wasn't going to wake up. Cyborg slumped, not knowing what to feel. He didn't allow the reality to sink in yet. He kept staring at the dead Titan, waiting barrenly for him to re-awaken.

A dark figure stood in the corner, feeling something inside of him. As impossible as it felt to the being, there was emotion within him. In fact, there were a number of emotions in him. Guilt, sympathy, even, dare he guess, compassion. Time felt compassion for a living creature. The feeling was strange and incredibly uncommon, but it was there. Oh, it was there…


	7. Chapter 7

AN: New chapter, thank God. It seems rather short, don't you find? What can I say? School's a b***h :(. No character death, for there needs to be some sort of ending to the story that clears up all the questions people may have asked. But anyway, enjoy!

* * *

**7**

Silkie ate from a bowl of Zorka berries, its ignorantly cheerful gurgles signifying that it was pleased. Its little face was buried in the basin, the head rummaging through the foreign fruit. Cyborg watched it, forcing himself to ignore the emotions that clawed at his conscious. Every few minutes, his eyes would twitch as he mentally fought his imagination and memory. His only objective as of that moment was to watch Silkie. Care for Silkie. Feed Silkie. Silkie was the only thing on his mind. For it was the only thing he had left.

Robin had already joined the rest in the infirmary, the only corpse not completely marred. The old saying was true: Live fast, die young and make a beautiful corpse…

* * *

Three dark figures were present in the abyss they called their quarters. A small female-resembling spirit clawed at the rocky sides, admiring the substance that shifted its physical properties under her fingers. Her mind was in a state of glee. She felt the great amount of reforming substances in the city, each atom fusing, separating and moving. She knew this feeling, it happened every millisecond. Yet every time it came to her, she always smiled. The figure sighed in happiness and she drifted over to her other half.

A male-resembling figure watched his sister as she touched the ground beside him. His mind was in a state of awry. Unfamiliar and uncharacteristic emotions flowed through his conscious mind, angering and confusing him. Pasts flooded his infinite memory, penetrating his cold heart and seizing his compassion. Of course, he'd seen pasts far worse than these, but for some reason they've caught his attention. The figure stared ahead, trying to focus his mind on other morbid stories, but failing miserably.

_You shouldn't dwell on such things. They may do harm to reality_, a hulking dark figure approached him, standing behind him with his arms crossed. The addressed figure turned to look at the being, his eyeless stare cold.

_I do not know what reality is anymore_, he communicated, turning back to meet his sister's fearful expression.

_Time, you worry. This is not right. Please, tell us why_, she pleaded, taking his hand. Time pulled away, walking on air.

_Can't you see? These deaths, they're unnatural. I should not feel emotion. I should not feel sympathetic towards the lost. I do though_, he told the figures behind him.

_What has happened cannot be undone, dear partner_, the hulking figure warned him. Time tilted his head to the right.

_Not by us, of course. You, dear Master, can write me, but there is a being who can erase what you have written_, he said confidently. The hulking figure leaned away in shock, his faceless head tilted back.

_You do not mean-_

_Oh, that is exactly what I mean_; Time felt the warmth of pride seep into his core, the emotion willing him to smile. Space gasped.

_Brother, you are foolish!_ She scolded. _How dare you ponder such a thing! Surely, you will fail!_

_Will I, dear sister?_ He asked, turning completely and stepping towards his twin. _How are you so sure? Can you see the future?_ His deep and usually apathetic voice leaked anger. Space's jaw fell in sadness and amazement, letting black slime drip from her lips.

_Brother…_she shook her head. Time rested a clawed and scaly hand on his sister's bony shoulder.

_I apologize for disappointing you, dear sister. I must do this_, he looked at Death. _I do not apologize to you though, dear Master_. He spat "master" from his mouth in sarcasm as he began to disappear.

_I beg you, dear brother! Do not leave us!_ Space pleaded before her other half vanished completely.

_Do not worry for his sake, dear partner_, Death told the sorrow-filled figure. _He is disobedient and selfish_. Space looked back at her mentor, her tar-covered lips parting to say something, but then shut when she decided to hold her tongue. She sighed, gazing back at the darkness where her brother had been.

* * *

"Hello?" a voice called out as a figure walked through nothing. The area was completely white and devoid of matter. The figure sharpened as it neared, displaying a male wandering through the void, his feet resting as though on solid ground.

"Hello?" he called out again, giving the word three syllables. His loud voice echoed around him as he searched the place for anything that would justify his decreasing sense of sanity. The male started to feel a knot of anxiety twist in his gut as his eyes found nothing after nothing after nothing. He bit his lip until it bled and tried to think of something that would help him feel safer. He found a solution, and began to run.

The male didn't know where he was running to, or why, but he kept running. It should've tired him until he swore his feet were numb, but he could feel nothing. He continuously screamed out hello as his feet picked up speed. Finally, the male saw something in the distance. It looked long and unnatural, so he didn't think it was human, but it gave him hope.

Once he reached the thing, he saw that it was a post, like at a bus stop. There were two signs attached to it, one labeled "Abyss" and the other labeled "Shangri-La". _Where the Hell am I_? The male asked aloud in a whisper.

"Limbo," an other-worldly voice sounded as the footsteps got louder. The male turned to see a figure in a dark cloak approach him. The figure's presence sent chills through the male's body as it neared, its cloak blowing behind it in an invisible wind.

"L-Limbo?" the male echoed. "W-Why? Why am I here? Who are you?" he asked the figure who now stood in front of him.

"Come with me and I'll tell you everything you need to know, dear changeling," it said, before turning its back on the male and walking away, leaving him to follow suite.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Whoa, I can't believe I'm uploading another chapter during the week, let alone on a MONDAY! Possibly another filler chapter, possibly more clues to the plot. You can decide. BTW, I find that Raven's death can go nicely with a segment from a video on Youtube called "asdfmovie". If you've heard of it, it was the "Die Potato" part. If not, WATCH IT, then agree with me :). Anyway, i hope to upload more chapters faster, because I really need to end this before I start another plot, or else this would go uncared for and then people may or may not be angry with me...Enjoy though!

* * *

**8**

Beast Boy walked behind the figure, repeating his myriad of unanswered questions. Every time he opened his mouth, the dark figure before him silenced him with a grunt. He wasn't completely clueless; he knew exactly where he was. He'd learned about it from his parents. What he didn't understand was why.

"Hey-"

"Erg," the figure grunted again. Beast Boy stopped, crossing his arms and pouting.

"I am _not_ going to take that from some hooded weirdo!" he remembered something, "Well, not anymore!"

"Erg," the figure replied. The changeling's eye twitched. He quickly ran up to the shadowy being and reached out to touch its shoulder.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," the figure warned. Beat Boy flinched before arrogantly huffing.

"And why not?" he challenged. The dark figure stopped and turned.

"Because you will cease to exist," it said.

"Oh please! I'm in _Limbo_! How the Hell can I _cease_ any further?" Beast Boy asked. The figure's tarry mouth slightly curled upward, revealing a silver fang behind his lips.

"You'd be surprised, dear changeling," it answered before turning away and walking. Beast Boy stood in the void, watching the figure walk further and further away from him. He wanted his questions to have answers. He wanted to leave this place. He wanted to know what he'd done to get himself stuck in Limbo.

"Hey!"

A voice called out in the distance. Beast Boy and the figure whipped both their heads around and saw a small blue blur approach them. The figure uttered a confused grunt as it stepped closer to the blur. The blur stopped moving, seeming to take a step back in fear.

"Do not be afraid," the figure told the distanced blur. "Though this is a place of uncertainty, you may feel no unsteadiness." A low murmur was heard from the blur before it took a step forward. It took another step forward, and then another, until it was walking again. The walking sped up until the blur was running, its image sharpening. Beast Boy gasped.

"Raven?" he whispered.

* * *

_I cannot read his mind when he is out of my hands, dear partner_, Death told the little cloaked being that stood indignantly before him.

_You have not tried_, she said.

_You grow smaller and less rational with your worries, dear Space. Reality must not suffer the consequences of your trivial mental queries._ The hulking figure drifted through the darkness that surrounded him, trying to avoid the little girl.

_My brother is attempting to play with fate, something he himself had sworn not to do since the beginning_, she replied. _Mustn't I worry?_

_Perhaps you must. Do not falter, for no soul will rest in peace until the plan is complete. Are we clear, dear partner?_ The deep voice echoed.

_Of course_, the cloaked girl bowed her head and drifted away.

* * *

Cyborg walked down the street, Silkie on his right shoulder. It gurgled in wonder as it saw the bright lights of the city. The half-human's feet tapped away as he stepped on the pavement. He'd finally manage to bring himself out of the tower after nearly half a month. He didn't remember the city being so bright and so lively – he'd been stuck inside the gloomy residence for so long. He'd given up working on his car, not feeling the motivation anymore. Cyborg sighed. _Is this really how I'm going to live from now on_? He thought.

* * *

A small dark figure stood in one of the only shadows in the shiny town. She wrapped her cloak around herself as tight as possible before stepping out into the artificial light. The pavement underneath her tiny feet reformed into new versions of itself, some into liquid, and some into gas. Each reformation left behind footprints in the matter, yet the shadow remained invisible to the eyes of the living.

A small boy noticed the bizarre prints and gasped in fear. Space turned to the boy and laid a hand on his forehead, causing him to see her.

"Do not be afraid. You shall be at peace," she announced, focusing on the different elements that made the boy whole. Once she found them, she separated them. To a living eye, it would appear as though the boy had exploded. Tiny little particles flew through the air, landing on civilians as they gawked at the spectacle. Screams were heard and feet were seen running, but it didn't concern the little spirit who stepped into the road.

Space stood in the middle of the busy street, watching as motorists immediately spun their steering wheels in an unknowing effort to avoid her. She looked at the tar ground in contempt, scowling at its artificiality. She bent down and spread her clawed fingers, focusing her energy on the street. A small hole widened at her hands as the matter beneath reformed to gas. The result was a large pot hole that nearly took up the entire street. Space straightened, trying to summon a smile as she sunk back into the shadows.

* * *

"What the…" Cyborg wondered as he saw a rather big hole form in the centre of the road. Car after car started to pile into the hollow, horns beeping and voices screaming. The half-robot gasped as he tried to run over and stop more people from falling. Once he ran out into the street, a large truck rounded the corner and headed straight for him. The white headlights shined, illuminating Cyborg's shocked visage. The metal Titan's expression shifted to that of determination and fury.

"Not today," he whispered, thrusting his arms forward and stopping the truck. The momentum persisted, and the vehicle pushed Cyborg back until the heels of his metal feet hung off of the edge of the hole. The half-human grunted as he forced himself to push back on the truck. Once the momentum had died down, Cyborg sighed in relief, carefully stepping around the front of the truck and taking out the driver. The motorist looked up at the hybrid and smiled.

"Th-Thank you. Thank you so much!" he said breathlessly, staring up at Cyborg as though he were a king. Instead of smile, Cyborg simply nodded, letting the man go and walking away as the crowd cheered behind him.

* * *

_Dear partner, you've slipped_, Death scolded. Space floated in the air above the scene, feeling ashamed.

_I have killed many, dear Master_, she tried.

_Many yes, though not correct. When you are meant to kill, you are meant to kill the being that you've already planned. To kill the rest is collateral damage_, the deep voice shot down. Space thought for a moment, frowning in sorrow, but then smirking in pride.

_You sound like Time_, she taunted, disappearing and leaving Death to growl in frustration.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Finally, another chapter for this story. -sighs- Sorry this took so long, it's just that the site wouldn't let me upload anything and I kept rewriting this chapter, because I wasn't happy with it. But, now I am, because I finally moved the plot forward instead of filling in information and stalling. -wipes forehead- Enjoy!

* * *

**9**

Word of the deaths of Jump City's super-powered teens was starting to get out to the public. Crimes were starting to flow, but they were only small robberies. Neither hero nor villain was seen much in the city and people were getting suspicious.

Cyborg sat on the bathroom floor, gasping for air. He'd just avoided yet another sudden end; this time a splash of water aiming directly at the open centre of his battery. The half-robot had been fine-tuning a wire when the tap he'd left on suddenly sputtered and squirted. If it weren't for his fast reflexes, Cyborg would have died within the minute.

He slowly stood up and opened the door with caution. He focused on his breathing as he tried to calm himself down. The feeling of threat was growing stronger, and Cyborg was starting to suspect something sinister was happening.

The metal Titan was just about to turn a corner when he felt something at the toe of his foot. He felt himself leaning forward, falling over. When his eyes met the floor, he saw a large hole approaching him. His head went through the opening, followed by his shoulders, which had further damaged the foundation and fell through as well. Pretty soon, Cyborg was falling through the floor and into the weight room. The half-human spun around as quickly as he possibly could and reached out for something to hold on to. He squeezed his eyes shut as he felt his gut drop. His right arm clutched at the air, but his left arm wrapped around a large piece of wood that hung from the foundation above.

Cyborg slowly opened his eyes to see his hand grasping the piece. He looked down and saw the very same bench that had killed Raven. The barbell that had severed her head was neatly placed over the bench, its metal bar gleaming in the light. The dumbbells that cracked her ribs and forced them to rip through her torso were lined up on the bench as well, innocently shining in the same way as their larger relative.

For a moment, Cyborg wanted to place the blame on the equipment, their shine making him grimace in disgust. Instead, he sighed and looked up through the hole, wondering how he was supposed to free himself. Silkie wriggled over so that its head was peeking through, its eyes on Cyborg. It gurgled happily at the fact that the half-robot wasn't dead so that it would feed it. Cyborg laughed at its ignorance.

"Yeah, I'm okay, little guy," he reassured it. He looked down again. "Now, how do I get down?"

* * *

Beast Boy and Raven watched the dark figure before them in horror, the silence in the void deafening. Neither Titan knew what to say. A cold chill ran through each of their bodies, as though the feeling of death washed over them. Nothing could shake the coldness they felt. After what felt like a century, Beast Boy finally spoke up.

"S-So…we're…d-dead?" he stammered.

"Quite," the figure said. It waited patiently for the two to let the information sink in. Each Titan felt their heart sink as they listened to the silence of the void called Limbo. There was something soothing as well as frightening about the lack of noise that came from the place.

"B-But, I don't remember d-dying…" Beast Boy trailed off, feeling his gut wrench in fear.

"Many do not, dear changeling," the figure spoke softly.

"How long has it been since we…died?" Raven spoke for the first time. The dark being turned to the empath.

"One week," it said. Raven closed her eyes as the response hit her like a bullet through the heart. Beast Boy contemplated something.

"Wait, but I saw her alive before I came here. Does that mean that I died…f-first?" his ears dropped as he realized he didn't need an answer to his question. Raven looked at the changeling and remembered how she'd seen him last. She quickly whipped her head in the other direction and wiped a tear that had strayed from the corner of her eye. She dreaded hearing the question that was bound to come next, but knew it was futile wishing that it wouldn't.

"How did I die?" Beast Boy asked the figure. His gaze momentarily shifted to Raven, the changeling feeling as though she knew, but it quickly returned to the shadow in front of him.

"I'm afraid that your death wasn't without gore, dear changeling," the figure nearly whispered as it was trying to be as soothing as possible. Beast Boy swallowed. He realized that he didn't want to know how he'd died, and was thankful that the dark figure didn't go any further. The changeling nodded. His gaze strayed over to Raven once again as he contemplated how she'd died. He remembered once being told that when you died, your soul remained as your body had been in the state of death. _Nothing looks out of place_, he observed. Beast Boy looked down at himself and found that he looked normal as well. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Raven was trying to keep her crying to a minimum. She was grateful that her powers didn't work in the void, because they would give her away. Though what she would destroy with them, she did not know. The fact that she'd died was off-putting to her, but seeing Beast Boy after the last time she'd laid eyes on him made her skin crawl. Every time she turned in his direction, she remembered his blood-soaked corpse sitting still in the common room. Him being next to her, speaking and breathing, made her bones grow as cold as they did the day he died.

"Dear empath, I warn you not to contemplate your death. There may be a disastrous outcome," the figure tried to warn the girl that turned her back to it. Raven turned to look at the figure, her reddened eyes continuing to tear.

"B-But…we're right here. We're standing right here," she whispered. She pointed a shaking finger at Beast Boy. "He's right here…"

"I know this must be a difficult thing to understand, but you are dead. Once you can comprehend the state in which you are in, the faster you will be able to move on," the figure told the empath. Raven blinked back more tears, but only forced them to fall down her cheeks. She wiped them away, sniffling.

"Rae? Don't cry," Beast Boy said, trying to soothe the empath. He reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder. Raven shuddered at the touch and stepped away, looking at the floor.

"Please don't touch me again," she whispered. Beast Boy's ears fell. "I can't be near you right now," she continued. "You're supposed to be dead. You _are_ dead. I can't look at you." The empath turned away and started to walk. "I'm sorry," she said. Beast Boy felt despair as he watched his friend walk away from him. He looked at the floor, wanting to die all over again.

* * *

Death regarded the being in front of him in contempt. Anger and disappointment filled the dark being as he stepped forward, his arms ever-folded over his chest. A feeling of uncertainty filled the dark abyss as the newly-entered shadow kept its stance as best as it could under the pressure. Perfect silence filled the atmosphere. The two beings stared at each other without eyes, waiting for the other to speak.

_What has taken you so long, dear partner_, the hulking figure asked, feeling no need for pleasantries. The small being in front of him frowned.

_Dear Master, I must discuss with you the plan that my brother intends to fulfill_, Space said. _I have spoken with him; this is why I have taken extra time. I apologize_. The little shadow bowed her head. Death sighed.

_You are forgiven, dear partner. Now, what is your twin intending on doing?_

Space breathed slowly, uncertainty about what she was about to say rising. She thought of foregoing the message until the time was right, but was interrupted by her master's grunt of frustration.

_Do not hide this from me, dear partner_, Death advised. Space looked up without eyes and sighed, resigning.

_Alright, dear Master_, she said. _Time is in Limbo. He is gathering the spirits of the lost from the city of Jump. He needs them all in order to cross over. I would have followed him, but I am not allowed in such a place. I apologize for my failure, dear Master_.

Death stared at the small figure in shock. He knew what Time had in store, but he didn't want to believe that it was true. Doing such a thing, completing such a task would bring about total destruction, not only to the souls of the dead, but to the universe and all that occupied it as well. Death knew what he had to do, but he wasn't happy about it.

_Dear partner, you must return to the tower and ask the cyborg for his help_, he said. Space gasped.

_But Master!_

_Do not question my decision. Bring his soul here and I will explain everything_. Space nodded and accepted the duty from Death. She turned away and disappeared.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Second last chapter! I'm already in the process of writing the last one, so I may upload it today. But don't hold your breath, I can be very lazy...Anyway, Enjoy!

* * *

**10**

Raven wandered the void, feeling shaken up. She couldn't hear the voices that had once been in her head, and this scared her even more. She kept thinking of her death, wondering if it had been as gruesome as Beast Boy's. She closed her eyes and stood still, willing herself to keep calm. Once she reopened her eyes, she began to wonder why she'd left the group in the first place. Of course, the eerie feeling of being around dead people unnerved her, but at least the dark figure that had accompanied them knew why they were there. Now, she was alone again, stuck in a null.

The empath closed her eyes once again and sat down, deciding that meditation might be a better thing to do. Though it was quiet, Limbo wasn't a peaceful place, and the unbalanced feeling constantly broke Raven's concentration. She sighed, trying her hardest to focus. A few moments passed before something started to happen.

The ground on which she rested started to soften. This caused the empath to open her eyes once again and look down. She saw the ground break and crack, revealing a black void underneath her legs. Raven quickly stood up, stepping away from the rapidly forming hole. It widened and widened, clawing in the direction of the empath's feet. Raven tried to fly, but soon found that she couldn't. It dawned on her that the reason her powers weren't destroying anything in void was because they didn't work in the void, not because there was nothing to destroy.

The empath started to run away from the hole, fear growing in her gut. When she took her last step, she felt nothing under her feet. She leaned forward, trying to clutch the ground below, but noticing that the edge of the hole receded away from her fingers. Raven screamed, watching the white light of the void shrink as she fell into the dark.

* * *

A small noise was heard in the tower, and neither Silkie nor Cyborg caused it. Both had been napping in the hybrid's room, the picture of fatigue, grief and boredom. When the noise sounded, Cyborg sat up in surprise, pausing to hear if the noise would sound again. A different noise came from the halls outside the half-human's door, this time it resembled a voice. Cyborg stood from the desk on which he'd fallen asleep, taking Silkie in his arms and walking over to the door.

When the cyborg and worm were in the dimly-lit hall, a long scream echoed from the other end, causing Cyborg to jump in fright. He clutched Silkie, trying to settle himself down. He took careful steps in the direction of the scream, wanting to find out who would be screaming in the tower in the first place.

His walk led him to a familiar door, and the metal Titan felt even more grief sweep over him. He took a careful step closer in the same direction and then froze as he saw something float up from the hole beneath it and vanish.

Silkie twisted and turned underneath the half-human's metal arm, signalling that it wanted to be fed, but Cyborg simply ignored it, waiting to see if the glow would return. A few silent moments passed before the metal Titan saw somebody step into view, not stopping to look in his direction. The glow moved as though it were shivering before stepping over the hole. First it sank a little, then it sank further, and then it fell through, letting out that same scream until a sickening thud was heard on the floor below.

Cyborg carefully walked over to the hole and glanced down, seeing glowing liquid splattered all over the weight room. The metal Titan leaned away so quickly that Silkie was nearly thrown away. Cyborg was just about to look over again when the glow swept back up to meet him.

There, he met the eyes of a very live-looking Raven as she disappeared and reappeared down the hall. She walked down the hall with disappointment in her eyes. She stopped short of the hole and slowly tilted her head up to see Cyborg.

"R…Rae?" Cyborg said. Raven grimaced before letting out another long scream and disappearing once again. The half-robot blinked a few times, wondering what he'd just seen.

"Don't worry about me, Cyborg. I'm not dead yet," Cyborg heard the last words the dark Titan had ever said to him before dying before hearing the voice laugh throughout the halls. It echoed off the walls like an intercom, sending waves of fear down Cyborg's back. Silkie crawled up and sat on top of the metal Titan's head, shivering in fear as well.

Cyborg backed up, not thinking complete thoughts. On his backward trek, he bumped into a solid object. He quickly spun to reveal a fairly healthy looking Beast Boy smiling up at him.

"Hey, Cy," the green Titan greeted. "What's up?" he rocked back and forth on his heels, waiting happily for the metal Titan to answer.

"B-B-Be…B-Be…" Cyborg shook as he stepped away from the teen.

"Aw, Cy, what's wrong?" Beast Boy mock-frowned, "Something on your mind?" The green teen grinned and tilted his head, allowing blood to pour out of his left ear. "There's nothing on my mind." Cyborg let out a scream before turning and running away from the ghost.

"Don't you remember, Cy?" Beast Boy's voice echoed off the walls as Cyborg ran. "You always told me I didn't have a brain!" Cyborg kept running before turning yet another corner and seeing an empty hall in his view. He looked down to see Silkie gone. The metal Titan looked down and around before calling the worm's name, worriedly trying to find his only friend.

"Friend, are you looking for this?" Cyborg turned to see Starfire petting the silk worm. Silkie gurgled in satisfaction as it nuzzled the Tamaranian ghost. Starfire giggled. Cyborg gasped, unsure of whether to step away or try to rescue the mutant slug.

The metal Titan took one step closer and Starfire's head shot up to meet his eyes. She smiled and held Silkie out for him to retrieve. Cyborg quickly snatched the worm from the dead alien's grasp and stepped away. Starfire laughed again, shaking her head at her live friend's behaviour.

"Cyborg, why are you so afraid? Am I not your friend?" she asked, stepping closer. The dead Tamaranian grinned, letting red foam escape her lips and drip. She held her arms out as if to ask for a hug. Cyborg shook his head, holding Silkie even closer and stepping away.

"Yeah, Cy, where are you going?" he heard Beast Boy ask, turning to meet the bloody changeling. Both ghosts stepped closer to the metal Titan, making his fear rise. Silkie whined as it saw the gory heroes approach them. Cyborg stepped back and was leaning on the wall behind him, the space between him and the ghosts quickly closing.

The half-robot squeezed his eyes shut, took one breath, and sprinted in Beast Boy's direction. He let out a cry of determination as he ran right through the ghost, the dead changeling looking down in shock. Starfire looked at the speeding cyborg as he darted down the hall and turned right. She bared her teeth before floating up and flying, letting Beast Boy follow suit in a ghostly animal form.

Cyborg ran until he thought he and Silkie were safe. He slowed down and started walking, still holding his worm friend closely to his metal body. He was about to turn around when he saw a flash spark from an open door. He walked softly and slowly over to the doorway and stood by the wall, readying himself to turn around and look at what was happening in the room. He gave Silkie a little squeeze and then turned, jumping into the room and opening his closed human eye.

In the room was nothing strange; nothing looked out of place. Well, other than the sad-looking Robin sitting at a sparking computer, his fingers typing away. The monitor was off and broken, and various keys on the keyboard were missing, but this didn't concern the masked ghost. Every few minutes, electricity would shoot out of the keyboard and aim at him, but seeing as he was already dead; it would pass through and hit his chair instead. Other than the frizzy hair, charred hand and paranormal glow, Robin looked okay. Cyborg even doubted he knew that he was there.

Then, Robin's burnt hand hit a button on the keyboard and was electrocuted. The electricity flowed through him as though he were alive again, surrounding his heart and shaking it to death. When the sparks were finished with the ghost, Robin's ghost slumped forward, allowing him to rest his dead head on the computer desk. A few seconds of silence passed before the ghost spoke up.

"You did this to me, Cyborg," Robin said quietly. "You did this to all of us." Suddenly, the half-robot was once again surrounded by the rest of his dead friends, all of them oozing and grimacing in anger.

"No," Cyborg said, shaking his head. "I didn't do it! I swear I didn't do it!" Silkie twisted and turned, trying to get out of the tightening clutch of the metal Titan. Cyborg closed his human eye, baring his teeth as he struggled to maintain his sanity.

"I didn't do it! I didn't do it!" he yelled. His dead friends continued to chant the opposite to him. Cyborg felt himself beginning to go insane. He opened his eyes wide and screamed, watching his ghostly teammates approach him before being surrounded in dark shadows and sinking through the floor.

* * *

Space gently lowered the half-robot in the dark void, feeling herself grow impossibly more worried than before. She didn't know what Death could have in store for the poor cyborg, but she did as she was told and trusted that it would be alright in the end. The dark figure watched the hybrid as it continued to drift unconsciously, wondering how someone like him could live. Most of his components were artificial and this confused Space. She marvelled as she watched the metal and flesh work together to keep Cyborg alive, feeling dumbfounded. She wanted to go over and touch the being, but resisted.

Shortly, Death arrived, approaching the little shadow and half-robot with a determined demeanour.

_Is he well, dear partner_? The hulking being asked. Space nodded.

_He is still experiencing shock from his friends' last visit_, the little spirit sighed, looking at her dripping feet. Death looked down in dismay as well.

_Time sure has had a good laugh, hasn't he? He has succeeded though; he has managed to ruin the plan. Now, the deaths of these beings are meaningless_, the big shadow crossed his arms again and felt himself grow angry and disappointed. He walked over to Cyborg and looked down without eyes, waiting for him to wake up.

After what seemed like hours, Cyborg finally regained consciousness, staring up at the darkness. He gasped when the memory of what had happened hit him, sitting up and looking at his hands. They were visible, even in the complete darkness of the void. He looked around to find two cloaked beings looking over him, their presence making him shiver.

Cyborg stood up, holding his shaking hands out in front of him in defense. He realized that Silkie still clung to him right arm and he clutched it, trying to make its fear go away despite the fact that his was still strong.

"Do not be afraid, dear cyborg," Death told him. "We are not here to harm you." Cyborg looked up at the shadow, shocked to see something taller than he.

"H-How can I know that for sure?" he asked, still holding onto Silkie.

"Please. We are here to help your friends," Space stepped closer to him. Cyborg whipped his head to the right to look at the small dark figure that approached him. He narrowed his eyes at the being.

"How do you know about my friends?" he asked suspiciously. Space looked from Death to Cyborg before looking down at the void.

"Because, dear cyborg, we caused them to die," she said in shame. Cyborg looked at the little shadow in shock, wondering how someone so small could kill his friends. He remembered how they'd all died, doubting that any being could've caused it. He'd even seen Robin die right before his eyes. They couldn't have done it.

"Dear cyborg, you need not comprehend," Space said.

"B-But, you…killed them," Cyborg felt the sad feeling in his gut grow, causing his knees to buckle.

"And now we must cause them to live," Death said as well. He stepped closer to the half-robot. "Dear cyborg, we need your help."

"What? M-Me? Why me? What can I do?" Cyborg asked, his eyes wide. Death rested a hand on his shoulder, causing him to black out.

"Do not worry. You shall see." Cyborg fell again and drifted back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Time stood in the light void of Limbo, feeling unsure. The fact that Raven had managed to return to the living world, and drag everyone else with her, made the dark being frustrated. He knew that the only way he would be able to do away with the emotions once and for all would be to return the heroes back to life.

There have been a few instances where Time had required to unwrite himself, but they have changed the future in a dramatic way and to make this decision would be to make a certain path worth the negative consequences that would soon follow. Time sighed before disappearing to go to the world of the living to retrieve his ghosts.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: DIP chpater 11. Last chapter, though I did include an epilogue. All I can say is...FINALLY! this took forever to write, because I was angry at it. Everytime I tried to write it, I only came up with comedy scenes and THIS ISN'T A COMEDY! But, it's done and I'll be uploading the epilogue in just a few minutes. Enjoy!

* * *

**11**

The ghosts in Titans Tower were not happy. Each one was to relive their deaths until someone would save them. At the same time every day, Robin would electrify himself, Beast Boy would melt his brain, Raven would fall, and Starfire would drink the acid. Even though they were dead, they could still feel the same pain, the same fear, as they did when they were last alive. Their ghostly minds would try to will their bodies to stop killing themselves, but it would be no use. They would still die. To them, this was their biggest torture.

Time arrived at the tower just in time to watch all four gruesome ends happen again. He quickly drifted through the halls, seeking the dead heroes to bring them back to Limbo. He paused and listened for any sounds that may lead him to the dead Titans. Time heard sparks, and soon began to drift again.

He entered Robin's room, the sound of electricity and smell of fried skin evident. The dark figure looked over to find the dead hero sitting at his computer desk, his dead and frizzy head resting limply by the keyboard. Time sighed impatiently, feeling his old self seep into his mood. He drifted over to the Titan ghost and laid a hand on his forehead, allowing the spirit to disappear and leave ectoplasmic drool all over the computer desk. Once he was finished, Time floated into the hall and started to search again.

The shadowy figure drifted over a hole framed in paranormal blood and came to a halt. Time looked down to find Raven lying lifelessly on the bench, the barbell slipping just above her collar bone and decapitating her for the thousandth time that day. The dark figure shook his head in dismay as he swooped down to retrieve her. Once he reached the dead empath, Time paused.

"You should not have contemplated death, dear empath," he scolded. "Now look at what you have caused." Time placed a hand over the dead Titan's chakra and allowed her to disappear as well.

Time drifted into the common room, feeling unfamiliarly relieved that only two Titan ghosts remained for the taking and that they had both died in the same room. He didn't like doing a lot of work. The dark figure drifted over to the kitchen, seeing as it was the closest to the door. A glowing and bloody Starfire lied on the floor, her torso corroding right before Time's eyes. Before the shadow could see any more of the dead alien's gore, he laid a hand on her forehead and let her drift away.

"Now for the changeling," Time announced to himself, as though checking off the last task on a To-Do list. He floated over to Beast Boy's resting place, feeling a bit of sympathy toward the ghost, seeing as how the spirit had looked so sad before he returned to the living world. After, Time felt annoyance, seeing as how an Earthly creature could make him feel any sort of emotion. He rested his clawed fingers on Beast Boy's empty skull, making him dematerialize. Time paused, sighing again in his usual bored manner, feeling his old habits return to him before disappearing on his own.

* * *

When Cyborg woke up again, he was floating in the air above Death's head, both beings following Space as she lead the way through an unfamiliar hall lined with pure light and darkness. He grunted in confusion, wondering what was going to happen to him. He was about to question the cloaked shadows when Space stopped at a large door, turning and facing Death and Cyborg.

"Here we shall stop, for now is the time for the dear cyborg to make his decision," she announced, looking up at the half-robot. Cyborg widened his eyes, looking back and forth from Death to Space.

"What decision?" he asked a little hesitantly. Death turned towards him, letting him down on his feet. The half-robot staggered a bit, feeling a little unsure of his surroundings.

"Dear cyborg, this may be difficult to listen to, so please prepare yourself," Death warned. Cyborg gulped, wondering what the otherworldly beings could be planning for him. Space took a deep breath before looking up without eyes.

"We can help your friends, dear cyborg," she told him happily, but hesitantly. Cyborg nodded.

"Yeah, you told me that before," he reminded the small dark figure. Space looked down sheepishly, grunting in agreement. Death looked down at his companion, feeling a little disappointed that she could not directly tell the half-robot what they had in store. He returned his faceless stare to the cyborg before them, taking a deep breath.

"Dear cyborg…You're going to die," Death stepped closer, exuding authority. Cyborg blinked with a blank expression on his face, not comprehending what the hulking figure was telling him.

"W-What?" he asked dumbly. Death sighed.

"To help your friends, you must die," he repeated. Cyborg furrowed his eyebrows, still not fully grasping it.

"The amount of care you show for your friends is enough to bring them back, but to take away your heart…"

"Would mean killing me," Cyborg finished for Space, the small shadow nodding in sadness.

"So, you do understand," Death asked for clarification. Cyborg looked up at the hulking shadow before nodding slowly. A long pause of silence was evident in the dark hall while the dark beings allowed Cyborg to think about the decision. He weighed the consequences of both choices, trying his best to decide what would be best for all of them. The half-robot lifted his metal hand to his chin as he thought hard about what he was able to do. Finally, Cyborg looked up at both beings with a determined expression on his face.

"Well?" Death asked.

* * *

Time stood in the middle of a dead Titan circle, contemplating and going over his plan once again to ensure that there were no holes. Everything was in place; everything was as it should be. So why wasn't anything happening?

The dark figure paced back and forth within the circle of blood and gore, fury rising in him because he couldn't stop the imbalance. Yet, the imbalance was the only reason why he was able to feel fury in the first place. Time grew frustrated at this conundrum as he tried his hardest to think of something that would be able to rid him of the emotional plague.

He stopped pacing and looked down at the dead Titans, each one wearing an expression of distress and fear as their bodies oozed and bled. Time felt compassion for the ghosts, which only resulted in angering him further. _I should not be feeling anything! I should not be this angry. I should not feel such strong compassion and sympathy for the mere living beings of the city known as Jump. I do, and it angers me. It angers me so much! Why aren't they returning to their lives? Why do they continue to display their wretched ghostly corpses? Such foolish creatures! Useless! They are all so useless!_ Time thought wildly as he paced in even tighter circles, his cloak swishing around him as his clawed feet stomped away.

Finally, a tall door swept open, revealing two cloaked figures and a half-robot in the doorway. Time froze, craning his neck to get a good view of the intruders.

"What are _you_ doing here?" he addressed Death. The hulking figure brought his large hands to his head, lifting his hood so that the piercing light wouldn't hit his dark skin. Space did the same. Cyborg simply walked in, somehow knowing that the light wouldn't touch him.

"Brother!" Space exclaimed in a shrill tone, causing her brother to jump in sudden fright.

"Sorry, dear sister. I did not mean to greet you all so rudely, though you _are_ intruding on my business," Time apologized. Space quickly stepped over to her other half, looking up at him with rage in her demeanour.

"You foolish hood of a shadow! How could you do this to us? How could you have done this to me?" Space's shrill girl voice echoed off of the walls of the realm in which everyone resided.

"Dear sister, you know very well that this plan was causing us both turmoil! You address me as 'foolish'? Ha, you are the one with the voice of a banshee," Time said haughtily. Space gasped in sadness, stepping backward and away from her twin. He brother realized his mistake and stepped toward her, apologizing profusely for his rage-filled retort. Space stepped away from him again, turning her eyeless face in the direction of the dead Titans.

"You were right, dear Master. Time _did_ retrieve them," she sniffed coldly, stepping over to the circle of ghosts, watching them slowly decompose. Time felt a pang of guilt as he watched his sister coolly ignore him. Death stepped towards Time.

"Finding your plan is failing, dear partner?" Death spat the word "partner" in the same manner of sarcasm as Time had when he'd called him "master". Time whipped his head away from his other half and to his former leader in anger. He growled under his breath, his mouth parting to allow slime to drip off of his scaly chin. Death continued smugly.

"You have forgotten that to achieve peace, one must suffer. You wish for these beings to achieve their peace?" he gestured over to the Titan ghosts. "You have ruined their chance. Now, to achieve peace, they must suffer once again. Though, there are ways of working around these consequences…" The hulking figure looked over at Cyborg, who had a fierce look on his face. He stared at Death's faceless head and shifted his gaze to Time, his human eye boring into Time's eyeless face.

"What do you mean?" Time asked Death, never lifting his gaze away from the half-robot's.

"I'm going to suffer," Cyborg stepped forward, his voice steady and impersonal. As he said those words, pillars lit up with pure white light, forcing Death and Space to shield their eyeless gaze to keep from scalding themselves. Time dropped his jaw in shock, tar dripping. Cyborg continued to stare, unmoved.

Before the dumb-struck shadow could reply, another figure materialized before their eyes, its cloak white. It swept down and planted its feet on the ground, facing a wide-eyed Death with a neutral expression. The hulking figure uncrossed his arms for the first time, his giant arms hanging limply by his sides.

"Hello, brother," a soft voice greeted. She threw her hooded head back to look at Time. "And hello, father." Time hesitantly tore his gaze away from Cyborg and looked at the white-clad being, nodding slowly in greeting. For a long moment, nobody in the realm talked. Everybody stared at the new figure, wondering what was going to happen next. The cloaked being turned her attention to Cyborg, who flinched despite his sure act.

"Hello, dear cyborg," she cooed, floated closer to the half-robot. "I here you want to bring your friends to life." Cyborg nodded robotically, his neck stiff. The white-clad figure turned towards her brother, shaking her head.

"What have you done, dear brother? You have enlisted our parents in your little game, causing such terror to so many people. And for what? Just to complete another one of your little plans? I scoff at you," she mocked. Death growled. The hooded figure floated over to the ring of dead Titans and stood in the center, looking over at her mother.

"Dear Mother, may you flee from the center? I must perform the dear cyborg's only request," Space nodded, scurrying off to stand by her brother. The figure in the midst of the ghosts lifted her hands and chanted, bringing the dead Titans up to standing positions in the process. Light swirled and swished as the ghosts' bodies began to repair and reform. One by one, the Titans began to come to life, their outer appearances returning to normal.

When the white-clad being was finished, she clasped her hands together and twirled slowly, catching small glimpses of each Titan's face. While they remained spirits, the heroes didn't resemble their gory corpses anymore. Each glowing face looked down in shock as they examined their newly repaired bodies.

"You see, dear brother, death is not always peace," Life turned towards the hulking figure, her slender form a huge contrast.

"Yes, of course, dead sister," Death replied sarcastically. Life shook her head at her other half's immaturity before looking down at the four Titan ghosts.

"Hello, dear heroes," she greeted soothingly, earning a wide-eye from each Titan face.

"What the…" Robin trailed off, looking up at the ironic shadow.

"Um, dudes? Where are we?" Beast Boy asked, looking around until he saw Time, gasping.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, pointing. "I know him!" His statement alerted the rest of the team of the figure presence, all of them turning back to the changeling in confusion before deciding that it was best to ignore him.

"I am sure you do, dear changeling," Life told Beast Boy, who smiled at the fact that he was acknowledged. The white shadow drifted past the circle and over to Death and Cyborg, resting on the ground and tilting her head.

"Now, dear Cyborg. As a final answer, what do you wish to do?" she asked the half-robot, who took a deep breath and thought again. He re-weighed the consequences and looked up at the four glowing people who stared at him in wonder.

"Wait, what does he have to do?" Robin asked.

"Is friend Cyborg well?" Starfire asked as well. Life tilted her head in compassion at the alien princess.

"He is fairly well, dear alien. Though, he may not be for long, depending on what he plans to do. Have you decided?" she turned back, asking Cyborg again.

"Can I tell them first?" he asked, his sad human eye looking up at Life. She nodded.

"As you wish," she stepped aside to let the half-robot through. Cyborg clutched Silkie in his arms, the worm smiling in happiness as it saw the rest of its friends before it. Once the half-robot and worm reached their friends, Cyborg stopped, smiling grimly.

"Hey," he said. Each Titan greeted him.

"What is this about?" Raven asked warily. Cyborg sighed, looking at the floor. His gaze caught sight of Silkie, who was wriggling in the direction of Starfire. The half-robot chuckled at the worm before crossing the distance between it and its true owner, handing it over to Starfire's outstretched arms. The alien nuzzled the gurgling worm with nostalgia and joy, feeling old warmth come back.

Cyborg retreated to the center of the circle, closing his eyes and sighing again.

"Cy?" Robin asked. "Cyborg, what's wrong? Where are we? Why are we here? What-"

"Robin, stop asking questions and let me explain myself, please," Cyborg interrupted, glancing at the glowing Titan leader, who backed down immediately with an apology. The half-robot readied himself to deliver the sad news to his friends.

He knew once he told them, they would try to talk him out of it. But he'd already thought about everything. He knew what he was leaving behind, what he was forgetting. But he also knew that it was the best decision he'll ever make in his life. He breathed out.

"Guys…I'm going to die," he said. At first, the Titans didn't know what Cyborg meant. They all furrowed their eyebrows in confusion. But then, one by one, it dawned on them.

"Oh. My. God," Robin whispered.

"C-Cyborg. Y-You can't…" Raven uttered. Tears sprang from Starfire's eyes.

"Please, no. No, no, no," she said. "Is this some sort of cruel joke? Friend Cyborg is this one of your 'practical jokes'?" her voice grew louder. "It is not funny, do you hear me? It is _not_ funny!" Now, she was screaming. Cyborg shook his head.

"It's not a joke, Star. I have to. It's the only way to bring you guys back," he said to the floor, not trusting himself to look into his friends' eyes. Starfire started to wail, her arms clutching Silkie until the point of suffocation.

"B-But w-we don't have to come back…" Beast Boy pleaded. "Y-You don't have to die for us, Cy. Please don't die for us." The changeling's ears dropped, tears brimming on the edges of his bottom lids. Cyborg walked over to Beast Boy, finally gaining enough courage to look up at his face.

"Grass Stain," he addressed him with the old nickname. "You know you'll always be my dude, right?" Beast Boy looked up with watery eyes, nodding as he sniffled.

"I never did get to beat you at anything," he laughed sadly. Cyborg laughed too.

"I always win," he flashed an old grin before letting it fall sorrowfully. Beast Boy chuckled through tears as he began to disappear. Cyborg walked over to Raven.

"'Sup, Rae?" he called.

"Ra-_ven_," the dark Titan stressed, wiping a tear away. Cyborg shook his head.

"I prefer Rae," he opened his arms for a hug, and Raven willingly accepted. The half-robot patted the empath's head before letting go to see her drift off. Cyborg stepped two feet towards Starfire before the alien pounced on him, wailing and bawling.

"I know, Star, I know," he soothed. Silkie crawled up Starfire's back and smiled at him, gurgling in glee. Cyborg nodded with a smirk before feeling Starfire disappear in his arms. Silkie followed closely behind, leaving only Robin left.

The masked hero looked at the ground in sadness and guilt, not wanting to meet Cyborg's eyes. Cyborg stepped closer.

"Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," Robin replied. An awkward silence filled the realm before anyone spoke up.

"I'm sorry!" Robin blurted out in the silence, the apology echoing off of the many walls. Both boys looked at each other. Robin looked at the ground again. "I-I'm sorry. I-I blamed you for everything, and…and you…God, I'm sorry," he pressed his gloved palms into the eyes of his mask, feeling crushed.

"It's okay, man, I-"

"It is _not_ okay!" Robin shouted again, his voice booming. "This is all my fault." The Titan leader kicked furiously at the ground. Cyborg walked over to his friend and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"No, Rob. It isn't. It never was," he told him. "It was none of our faults. If anything, it's theirs'," the half-robot pointed to the four cloaked beings in the distance. "But that doesn't matter anymore. What matters is that y'all are gonna live, alright?"

"But-"

"Alright?" Cyborg stressed. Robin looked up and nodded, sighing.

"Alright," he started to disappear. Cyborg waved him off, saluting.

"Titan's go?" he said. Robin cracked a sad smile.

"Yeah. Titan's go," he said before leaving completely. Once the realm settled, Cyborg turned to face Death.

"Okay. I'm ready."

* * *

In Jump City, a very big looking half-metal man carried a shopping cart full of spare parts back to his car. He looked around at the mini-mecha part of town, smiling to himself. Cyborg felt happy knowing that he could finally upgrade that module in his beloved car. He walked over to the trunk, opening the hood and dumping his parts into the compartment. After he was finished loading his car, the tin man whistled happily as he slipped into the driver seat of the T-car, starting the vehicle and darting off.

While he drove, he took in the city, admiring the view. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in sight. The water glistened in the light of the sun in a way that was nearly enough to blind. The various buildings that lined the shore caught the reflection of the bright daylight, all windows shining. Yes, Cyborg loved this time of day.

Little did the metal Titan know, there was a gas leak in his car, and as he passed over the bridge, his tires ran slick over the slimy substance, causing his car to veer off the side of the bridge and into the water. Cyborg looked over the steering wheel, through the windshield and into the water that quickly approached him. The half-robot let out a long scream before the T-car plunged deep into the glistening blue water.

* * *

In Titan's Tower, four out of five heroes were present in the common room, doing whatever pleased them. Beast Boy and Robin versed each other in a video game while Starfire watched in wonder. Raven sat by her favourite window, meditating to her content. All was well until the red alert was sounded.

Each Titan scrambled to the monitor to find a local chief of police staring back at them, his blown out face taking up the majority of the screen.

"What is it this time?" Robin asked almost wearily. The chief pressed his lips together in a very thin line before sighing and stepping away from camera view. Each hero in the room froze at the image that they saw. A sparking Cyborg head was pulled out of a fairly corroded car, the metallic contents falling out and onto the road of the bridge. The T-car was totalled and soaking, policemen searching for any useful evidence.

"His car swept over the bridge and into the water, hitting an underwater cliff. I'm sorry, Titans," he apologized to each tear-ridden face.

"He's dead."


	12. Epilogue

Last AN: I just want to take this time to thank everyone who stuck with me and kept reading even though there were times when I felt really lazy and didn't update for weeks at a time. You guys are surprisingly patient. I would've given up by now (hehe). Nevertheless, here is the epilogue, because I felt that there should be one. So enjoy and thanks for reading!

Sincerely,

bbraeislove

* * *

**Epilogue**

_The funeral was held a week after the death of Cyborg. Every Teen Titan attended, every Teen Titan cried. Most shared thoughtful words, others simply delivered flowers. Nobody said anything else._

_Ironically, it was a beautiful day. The sun shined, birds chirped and the sky was a bright cloudless blue. Outside of the funeral, happiness showed in the habitants of Jump City. Parents took their children for walks and many people held barbeques in parks. To the outside world, Cyborg's funeral looked like a little grey illusion, it contrasted so much. Every attendee was covered from head to toe in black attire; even the most colourful superheroes didn't dare to wear anything else. Some citizens had come to pay homage, but most just kept away, feeling that the occasion was only for the invited._

_Four out of five original Titans sat front row center, listening intently to the minister speak about their friend. Seeing Cyborg's coffin on the stage broke each of their hearts and there wasn't a dry eye in the room. It was strange to them; they didn't understand why their friend had to die. No one could come up with a good explanation. It all just seemed so confusing. No Titan knew what to think._

_After the minister stepped away from the wooden tomb, the four Titans stood up and walked towards the stage, preparing to say their final farewells to one of their dearest friends. Starfire gripped Robin's arm, her shoulders shaking with every grief-filled heave she took. She held a handkerchief to her crying face, the cloth quickly soaking due to the amount of tears she let fall._

_Her boyfriend patted her head, turning towards the coffin in confusion and sadness. He'd thought about his best friend's death for days, but nothing else but fate seemed to make sense. Every logical conclusion that he came up with didn't fit the equation, and this saddened him more than anything._

_Beast Boy wiped tear after tear away from his face, his ears dropped to an alarmingly low level. His green nose was red from his crying and his fanged mouth was permanently fixed to resemble a mourning frown. All the changeling wondered was why. He kept asking why. He asked this to himself, to his friends, to the world. He just wanted to know why his friend had to go. The situation was heavy, and poor Beast Boy couldn't take it. He didn't know how. It was all too much._

_Raven approached slowly, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. Even though she wasn't to show emotion, her heart still compressed in agony at seeing her teammate's coffin lying so still in the sun. She didn't question. She didn't ask the universe of any answer. She simply cried in silence as Nevermore questioned for her. She didn't even bother to ignore their questions, because she knew it would be no use. Logic wasn't helping the situation, so Raven just left her mind blank and stood with her friends over the dead Titan._

_Cyborg looked peaceful in his resting place. His arms were neatly folded over his chest, his eyes closed. No electricity ran within him, therefore his metallic body was a dull grey instead of a bright blue. The Titans knew that he wasn't going to wake up, but the dead half-robot looked so much as though he were sleeping. After a few goodbyes and a pause of silence, the four remaining superheroes stepped down and walked out of the room to go home._

_Once they reached the parking lot, Starfire and Robin sped off on the R-cycle, the engine growling in the distance. Raven levitated her and Beast Boy on a small ring of black magic, both Titans floating into the sky. The empath noticed Beast Boy crying and felt a pang of sympathy._

"_I know he meant a lot to you. He meant a lot to all of us," she said. Beast Boy nodded._

"_It's just…why? Why did he die?" he asked, sniffling and wiping away another tear._

_A group of figures watched the magic ring float off to the T-Tower, each pair of eyes sad. Death shook his head._

"_Oh, dear changeling. If only you knew."_


End file.
